


Breath on a Mirror

by Gina Callen (CALLEN37)



Category: NCIS
Genre: Adoption, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-03-07 19:47:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 29,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3180944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CALLEN37/pseuds/Gina%20Callen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A companion piece to Re-Check, How did Tony come to live with Gibbs and be adopted. This is a WIP and will be posted as an when chapters become finished. This will be finished I do not abandon stories. This is a Father/Son fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Father had been drunk again when the mail had arrived and a promised check from a business associate hadn't arrived. But a letter from the school had, by hand that afternoon. Anthony DiNozzo Senior had called Gerald Kauffman, his business associate and had paled at the information, his now ex-business partner, had shared with him.

"JUNIOR!" his father had called. no...screamed would have been more accurate.

Eight year-old Anthony DiNozzo Junior had leapt up as fast as he could, considering his father had punished him last night as the butler had dropped his dinner plate, even though it hadn't been his fault. As he ran he felt something around his ribs grating, and the bruising this morning was pretty spectacular. Skidding to a halt in front of his father's office door he clambered to his feet, smoothed down his unruly hair and knocked.

"Get in here!" Anthony DiNozzo Senior slurred as he sat at his desk.

"You wanted me father?" Tony asked.

"No...never wanted you, you are a waste of space and this...this proves it…" he snarled waving a piece of paper around.

Tony gulped as he recognized the logo of his school on the top of the paper and figured out it was about the fight he'd had earlier in the day at school.

"Suspension...SUSPENSION!" he shouted, "My...you were suspended from school for fighting!" he snapped.

"It wasn't my fault, Harold was…." Tony stopped as his father smacked him with the back of his hand clean across his face.

"Harold Kauffman Junior is the son of the man I was to do business with. You just cost me t _en thousand dollars_! The stake in a deal that would have netted me millions." Anthony growled at him.

"He was hitting a girl...He's a bully!" Tony argued.

" _TEN. THOUSAND. DOLLARS_!" Anthony roared slamming his desk with both hands and leaning forwards.

Tony took a step back as Anthony lent over him, "You are responsible for costing me  _a lot_ of money. You wanna know how hard life is?" He smiled nastily as he grabbed Tony by the scruff of the neck and hauled him to the car.

"Father…?" Tony started then stopped as the glare he was given sent fear throughout his young body.

"Quiet boy!" Senior snapped.

Tony sat terrified as he watched the countryside of the Hamptons go by and they rode into the night. He woke up about three hours later, the car was still moving and Senior was muttering to himself as he drove. Tony was still scared as his father had  _neve_ r been this mad at him.

He had slipped down in his seat while he was sleeping and he slowly, without alerting his father to his presence, tried to lift himself up and look out of the window.

He was surprised when he realised they were in a city. " _Must be New York"_  he thought to himself when he saw the lights. They drove for a few more minutes until the lights spaced out a bit more and the car stopped.

" _OUT!_ " Senior snarled.

"Why?" Tony asked nervously.

"You think  _ten thousand dollar_ s is ok to lose over a girl? You can take care of yourself."

Shaking, Tony's small hands fumbled with the safety belt as he tried to follow his father's instructions. Senior got out and wrenched the door open nearly strangling Tony as he pulled him through the safety belt and threw him on the cold, damp grass.

"Father! You can't leave me here!" Tony exclaimed his eyes brimming with terrified tears.

Senior looked at his son and laughed, "I would be ten thousand dollars better off without you. You will learn that actions have consequences boy.  _This_ is the consequence of your action that cost me all that money." He pulled a bill from his pocket, sneering he threw the money at the boy and Tony watched as it fluttered to the ground at his feet. "Here's ten dollars. I'm not totally heartless. "Now you can look after yourself 'cause you aren't no son of mine." He leant inside the car and took another swig from the bottle of scotch on the passenger seat. He put it back and grabbed a small bag, "These are yours." He threw the bag at the eight-year-old and climbed back in his car. "Have a nice life. I know without you, I  _will._ "

* * *

Tony watched shaking in fear as the taillights faded and his father drove off into the darkness. He held his bag tightly against his shaking body as he looked towards the city in the distance. With a second look, the buildings and skyscrapers didn't resemble "The Big Apple". He wiped his eyes and headed in the direction of the lights just as the heavens above opened up and torrential rain fell upon the terrified child.

Anthony DiNozzo Senior laughed as he watched the biggest pain in his life fade to black in the distance as he drove away and got onto the freeway heading back to New York. He took another swig from the bottle of Scotch beside him and then swerved across the four lanes of the traffic. The last thing he saw was the lights of a Semi truck in the outside lane before hearing a horn and the crunch of metal as the truck slammed into his car and crushed it against the guard rail.

The Junior DiNozzo was angry as he walked the streets, he wanted to yell and scream with the unfairness of it all. It hadn't been his fault. He had been in the right, he had been protecting a girl from a bully. At school they had told him bullying was wrong, were  _they_  wrong?

Walking towards the edge of the suburbs, he shivered as the rain turned to sleet, snaking it's way down his neck and back, making him seem even colder than before.

" _Finally"_  Tony thought when he saw houses on a dimly lit street. Still reeling with anger that his father left him on the side of the road, he had known this day would come, but  _now_...in the middle of winter?

Tony remembered what his teacher had told him to do if he was lost, and he thought with a sour laugh, that he would definitely count as lost.

Walking up to the first house he could see, and although it was January the house still had Christmas lights up. After knocking on the door and waiting anxiously for someone to answer it, he admired the pretty lights above him. He had always wanted lights like that, but his father had forbidden it calling it an "unnecessary expense". Tony watched as the man inside put down his paper and came to the door.

"Hello?" The man who answered the door looked at him suspiciously.

"I'm lost. Can I come in and use your phone please sir?" Tony asked.

This was the fifth time today that the neighborhood kids had rang his doorbell with some excuse to try and sneak into his house. There was no way he was falling for it  _again_.

"Get lost and go home kid! I swear, you kids ring my bell again and I'm calling the cops!"

Tony knew that look, he had seen it in his father's eyes many a time. He moved back as the man stepped out onto the porch and falling backwards down the steps he ran crying off into the night, the man's laughter ringing in his ears.

Further down the road Tony fell again, the pain in his ribs making him cry. His small canvas bag was soaked through and so was he. Fearing the backlash from his father this morning after his transgression yesterday, he had not eaten since the fateful dinner the night before and having missed lunch while waiting to see the principal for hitting Harold Kauffman, he was  _hungry._  His stomach rumbled and he looked to the side of him as inexplicably the rain got even heavier.

* * *

There was another house, it was the only one on the street without blaring lights save for a small light on in the basement. Walking up the steps, he decided that wasn't going to stay, he just wanted to get out of the rain for a moment. Leaning against the door for a second pushing as far away from the inclement weather that he could, Tony cried out as the door opened and he fell in. He groaned as the pain in his ribs flared like a fire around his core. Gathering his things, he stood up. He was going to leave, honest he was...but there was a smell from the kitchen that made his stomach rumble again.

"Hello…?" he called out quietly.

Looking at the coat rack he saw a small pair of rubber boots alongside adult wet weather gear. He assumed by the fact that the boots were pink that they belonged to a little girl, possibly three or four years old.

There was no reply.

Taking off his shoes so as not to ruin the carpet inside the house, he walked towards the delicious smell. His stomach rumbled even louder as he saw a crock-pot on the side in the kitchen and as he got closer to it, his mouth began to water. He couldn't help himself, so he lifted the lid.

Breathing in the heady aroma of the meat and potatoes inside Tony found his mouth watering even more. There was a bowl and a fork on the counter beside by the crock-pot. Taking the bowl he dished out a small amount as he was unsure how much ten dollars would buy, but stealing wasn't an option. Taking the ten dollars from his pocket he placed it carefully on the counter. He quickly ate, his stomach rumbling as he did so, then tidied up, washing the bowl and replacing it where he'd found it. He made sure the money was where the house owner could find it and he turned to leave but was stopped in his tracks when he spotted a coffee drinking man who was leaning in the alcove staring at him.

"Who are you kid and why are you in my house?" he asked.

"I wasn't stealing!" Tony replied his hands shaking, "I left money...it just smelled so good. I was hungry...I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologize, it's a sign of weakness," the man said and stopped as he saw the determined look on the kid's face.

"I'm not weak," Tony replied. Walking past the man he headed for the door.

"Where do you think you are going?" The man asked reaching out for him.

Instinctively Tony yelped and moved back, "You don't have to call the cops, I didn't do nothin."

Leroy Jethro Gibbs looked down at the kid and his gut churned.

"What's your name kid?" he asked.

Tony stood up straight, "Anthony DiNozzo Junior, Sir."

"Don't sir me, I work for a living," Gibbs snapped automatically.

"Yes Sir...I mean ...yes...Mr….?" Tony stammered.

"Gibbs, my name is just Gibbs."

"Yes Gibbs,"Tony said looking at his feet and realizing his soaking wet socks had left puddles and footprints on the carpet.

"Sit down." Gibbs motioned to the couch and Tony walked over and sat.

"How old are you Anthony?"

"It's Tony." "I mean I'm eight."

Gibbs looked at the kid and scowled as he noticed his arm wrapped around his ribs protectively.

"What did you do to your ribs?"

"I fell."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, he didn't believe the kid, but a few other things were worrying him as well.

"Where do you live?" he asked.

Tony looked panicked, "I….I dunno…" he mumbled as he started to cry for a second and angrily swiped at his eyes.

"Where ya from?" Gibbs asked, noticing the kid had an accent but couldn't quite place it.

"New York….The Hamptons."

Gibbs turned his back and filled up the bowl the boy had used earlier,

"Here, eat this, I gotta make a call," he said handing Tony the bowl. The smiling boy eagerly tucked in as Gibbs walked to the phone in the kitchen and dialed a number.

"Hi, Joann. It's Jethro….Is Shannon there?" Waiting he looked over at the boy who was eating carefully so as not to spill any of the food he had given him.

Tony looked up and smiled at the man who was on the phone, wanting to convey his gratitude. He knew that soon enough he would be out in the cold again, but was grateful for the kindness that he had been shown.

"Shan…." Jethro looked over at the boy and his heart melted at the smile, "I need your help. Can you ask Joann to keep Kelly for a while and maybe you come back early?" he asked.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Shannon Gibbs put the phone down as her mother looked up from watching her four year old granddaughter Kelly coloring a picture of a pony. Joann Fielding walked across the room towards her daughter and shot a worried look at Kelly making sure the child wasn't listening in.

"Shannon, is everything alright?" she asked.

"I don't know...Jethro is alright, but I think something has happened at home. He's asked if you wouldn't mind having Kelly for me. I'll drive back to see what's going on and pick her up at the weekend if that's ok?"

"Sure honey, Kelly and I can have some girl time together," Joann said brightly.

Kelly looked up at her name and smiled, "I drawded you a picture mommy." She grinned and held up the picture of the pony. "Doggie", she laughed.

Shannon walked over and crouched down to her daughter, "It's a pretty doggie Kelly." She smiled.

Kelly turned her deep blue eyes on her mother as if she were crazy, "It's a horsey mommy, her  _name_  is Doggie."

Shannon smiled indulgently and pulled her daughter into a hug, "Yes sweetie. Mommy's going to go and see Daddy for a while. You stay with Grandma and I'll pick you up at the weekend ok?"

Kelly nodded, "OK mommy." She kissed her mom on the cheek and went back to coloring as Joann followed her daughter out to the car.

"You take as long as you need honey and call me if you need my to have Kelly longer, let me know as soon as you can."

Shannon nodded and with a last look at her mother she put the car in drive and headed back to Alexandria.

* * *

Tony finished the food he'd been given and his head started to droop.

Trying to stay awake he kept pulling his head up, but eventually the lack of adrenaline and the events of the day caught up with the child and his head hit his arm which was laying on the table as he fell asleep. Jethro scooped him up the boy who flinched and moaned in his sleep, tired, too exhausted to wake. Jethro took the wet socks off his feet and laid him down on the couch, covering him with a blanket.

"What happened to you kid?" he mused aloud.

He walked back over to his phone and picked up the phone to his commanding officer, "Sir...It's Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs, I think I may have a problem."

Sergeant Major Dexter Springfield looked worried as he approached the door to his Gunny's house. Jethro was well liked in the corps and he had been pleased when a few weeks ago he and his wife had purchased his new off base house in Alexandria. Being Gibbs' best friend helped as well. Gibbs didn't often sound worried and for a moment he had thought that something had happened to his wife Shannon or four year old daughter, his Goddaughter, Kelly. He jumped out of his car and ran up the steps to the door.

"Gibbs?" he called.

Almost instantly the door opened, "Shhh," Gibbs said coming outside to stand on the porch with Dex.

"Dex, you'll wake him." Gibbs moved so that Dex could see the figure on the couch.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"My problem...His name is Anthony DiNozzo Junior. I have no idea how he got here, but he says he lives in The Hamptons."

Dex looked surprised, "Gibbs, that's over  _three hundred_  miles away. How did he get here?"

Gibbs shrugged, "I dunno. I was in the basement working on the new back door, I heard a thud and someone walking up here so I came up." He nodded towards the door and the two men entered and headed down to the basement. Gibbs poured Dex a bourbon in an empty mason jar and leaned back against his workbench. "He looked like he'd been hurt, but he wouldn't say anything. Dex, I watched this kid help himself to the casserole that Shannon had left me, clean up after himself  _and_  leave me his last ten dollars for the food."

Dex looked amazed, "Really? Do you think this kid is playing you?" he asked.

Gibbs shook his head and leaned back, his head cocked at an angle, listening to something.

Dex shot Gibbs a knowing look, the guy had ears like a bat.

"What?" He asked.

Gibbs shook his head, "I dunno…" Heading upstairs they entered the main room, which was empty. The blanket that had been draped over the sleeping child was now neatly folded and a small note left on top.

_Thank you for the food and sleep. I will earn some money and send it to you soon. Anthony D. DiNozzo Jr. Aged 8 ¾ years_

Gibbs handed the note over to his commanding officer and friend,

"You think he's playing me now?" He nodded back at the kitchen where the ten dollars from earlier still sat untouched.

"OK, so maybe he's gone home…" Dex suggested.

* * *

Tony had been awake as the car had pulled up outside the house. When Mr. Gibbs had gone outside to talk to his friend he had laid down on the sofa, quietly so he wouldn't upset anyone.

He'd heard the man ask who he was and he couldn't help the but flinch at Gibbs' answer.

_My problem._

He stayed as still as he had been taught, gripping the blanket with his hand, listening as the men went downstairs and then he heard the familiar clink of bottle against glass. He slowly sat up, his small hands shaking in fear. He had thought that this Gibbs was nice...was he like father's friends? Nice at first, then they drank and some of his fathers friends would do things to him that still gave him nightmares.

He didn't want to do that again, so he wrote a note thanking Mr. Gibbs for giving him something to eat and somewhere to rest. Folding up the blanket he had found over him he placed it on the couch then, with his shoes in his hand, closing the door quietly he tiptoed on the wet sidewalk for a bit and then he slipped his shoes on.

He saw another car pull into the driveway as he walked away from the house and looked back once as he heard the tires roll to a stop, worried that someone would come after him and drag him back.

Shivering as a scary memory overtook him and his fear of the dark kicked in he pulled his only possession, the bag and it's contents, closer to him. He put his head down and hurried away in the direction of the city and, he thought, home.

_Surely when I get back father will be sorry, he'll understand I was doing the right thing._ Despite his fathers abuse, Anthony couldn't help but miss his home and started to cry.

* * *

"Jethro!" Shannon called as she ran up the steps into the house, "What's going on?"

"Shannon," Gibbs ran down the stairs having looked upstairs in the vain hope that Tony had just gone to use the bathroom.

"Jethro, you're scaring me…." She looked up as Dex came in from the backyard, "Dex?"

"Did you see him?" Gibbs asked. "Little kid 8 years old, no coat, small canvas bag."

Shannon turned to the door, "As I was pulling in there was a small kid walking to the end of the street, I wondered what he was doing out so late," she grabbed her car keys and headed for the door.

Gibbs, Dex and Shannon piled in the car and Shannon drove in the direction she had seen the boy go.

"There's a small park up here, Kelly and I saw it the other day." she said as she turned to the left.

Tony made it as far as the park, the pain in his ribs still hurting, he needed somewhere he could sleep, just for a while. He could see the city lights. The city was New York he was sure of it, from there he could head to The Hamptons and home.

But right now he needed to sleep.

Walking over to a climbing set there was a small bench inside the box and a hole small enough for him to climb inside.

He grabbed his bag and used it as a pillow, and lay down curling into a ball trying to keep the warmth in his small shivering body.

Shannon pulled the car to a stop in the car park and illuminated a small figure in the distance.

"Is that him?" She asked

Gibbs nodded, "I think so, let me go to him…" He started to get out of the car and Shannon followed.

"I'm coming too, he might not get so worried if there's a woman with you." she said.

She grabbed a blanket from the back of the car and walked across the grass to the play equipment, "Tony...Tony DiNozzo?" she called.

Tony moved to the far corner of the small play box and curled back up into a ball, "I'm sorry ma'am, if this is yours I'll move on, I wasn't hurting nothing honest…" he looked at her and his scared green eyes were illuminated in the flashlight Jethro was pointing his way.

"Why did ya leave Tony?" Gibbs asked crouching down beside his wife.

" Didn't wanna be a problem…" Tony mumbled.

Shannon reached in and held out her hand, "Come here baby, lets get you warm." She gently took him by the wrist and wrapped the warm, dry blanket around him. He closed his eyes for a moment and reveled in the warmth of the blanket.

"You're not a problem Tony." Gibbs said, "We can't let you stay out here tonight, it's too late for a child to be up."

"But….you said I was a problem?" Tony looked confused, "I didn't w...want to be a b...burden…" He started stammering as his teeth chattered with the cold.

"Alright young man you come with me right now, we will get you into a warm bath and bed." Shannon said turning him towards the car.

"Warm bath?" Tony looked confused, "But hot water costs money, Kids don't get warm baths."

Shannon shot an angry look at her husband and she wondered just what sort of home this child came from. "They do in my house, alright, I may even have bubble bath," She smiled at him and he looked blankly at her.

"Yes ma'am as long as I am not being a bother." he said politely.

She wrapped him up and sat with him in the back of the car as Jethro drove them home.

* * *

Even though they had only been a few blocks away Tony was flagging by the time they got back.

Shannon hoisted him in her arms and carried him in the house, "Dex, you make up the spare room, borrow one of Kelly's bears, the brown one, and I have some boy sleep gear in the box in the closet,"

Dex looked at her strangely, "You do Shan?" he asked.

She smiled, "Jethro and I were planning on fostering in the future, I was just stocking up." She got to the bottom of the stairs, "Jethro, you go up first, get me a bath run, put some bubbles in it." He nodded with a smirk and ran up to do as he was asked with his C.O on his heels.

Shannon took Tony into her room and started to undress him.

"No…" Tony moaned as he swayed.

"It's ok sweetie, we are just gonna give you a bath to warm up, you're shaking from cold."

"Momma?" he asked, his eyes not focusing.

"No sweetie, my name is Shannon, you're safe here, what's your Momma's name?" she asked.

"Just Momma…." Tony yawned.

Shannon smiled, "Does she live with you?" she asked, thinking maybe he was lost and his mother lived nearby.

Tony shook his head, "No...she lives with the angels. She got sick...like Daddy does sometimes and she went to live with the angels."

"OK…" Shannon wrapped him in a towel to keep him warm and pulled him in for a hug.

Tony smiled sleepily, "You must be a nice Momma, you hug like mine did...I miss hugs." he said wistfully.

"Come on sport, lets get you in the bath." she said steering him towards the bathroom as Gibbs walked out and nodded to her.

"But I'm so cold…." Tony groaned his eyes falling shut, "Please daddy, no more!"

Again Shannon shot a look of worry at her husband, 'Find out who this kid is' she mouthed and took the boy to the bathroom.

She shut the door and steered him to the tub, "In ya get." she said.

He shook his head, "'m too cold...please...no…" he mumbled.

"Tony you have to get in, to warm up, it's not too hot." She lifted him carefully and his toes hit the water.

His eyes flew open in surprise. "It's not cold!" He exclaimed with a smile. He sat down in the water at the gentle insistence of Shannon's hand as she handed him a wash cloth.

He sat for a second and looked at the white foam in the water, poking it with one finger he looked at Shannon inquisitively, "What is it?" He asked.

"The bubbles?" She asked, pointing at the water.

He nodded, "What are they for?" poking them again he let out a small giggle as some stuck to his finger.

"Fun." Shannon put her hand in and took a handful and put them on his head. "You look like an old man…" she laughed as he gave her a brilliant smile and she took some more bubbles and blew them at the wall. Mesmerized, Tony watched as they floated down and he tried to catch one. He jumped as it popped in his hand and the scared look on his face startled Shannon.

"I broke it...I...I'm sorry!" he said freezing in an instant.

Shannon did it again and popped more bubbles, "They are supposed to pop Tony."

She stayed with him until the suds started to evaporate.

She quickly got him out, dried and dressed in some warm pajamas and carried him to the spare room, "You sleep in here tonight, Jethro and I sleep across the hall if you need us."

"Can't stay here." Tony sighed as he swayed on his feet once again sleep threatening to overtake him.

"Why not?" Shannon asked.

"I have no more money, I spent it all on the food I used, left it on your counter."

"Sweetie, you don't need to pay to stay here, we just want to help. We will keep you safe until we find out where your father is okay?"

Tony shook his head tears springing in his bright green eyes, "No...I can't go back...father...he…" Shannon gathered him in his arms and the little boy sobbed quietly, if it hadn't been for his shoulders shaking she would have had no idea he was crying until he fell asleep with his head on her shoulder.

She placed him in the bed and tucked the warm duvet around him, making sure the bear Dex had picked was close.

Tony reached out and in his sleep pulled the bear to him and sucked his thumb.

She looked back in the doorway and smiled at the sight of the cute little boy sleeping.

* * *

Walking down the stairs she turned to her husband and friend, "Ok, so do we have any information on this kid and did either of you think of calling the police?"

"I called Naval Investigative Service…" Dex said hoping he didn't end up running the wrath of Shannon, for a redhead her temper could be legendary. "They are sending an agent over tomorrow and they are running the kids name through the system."

Shannon took the coffee Gibbs was drinking out of his hand and took a large sip herself.

Joining them at the kitchen table she look Gibbs in the eye, "I think he's been abandoned, if that's true Gibbs, I want him."

"What?" Gibbs asked surprised.

"We were going to foster, we have done all the courses, he's a sweet kid, I want him to stay a sweet kid. They stick him in the system it's gonna knock all that out of him….Please Gibbs...can we keep him?"

 


	3. Chapter 3

Although it was early and his wife was sleeping upstairs, both Dex and Jethro were sat at the table drinking coffee when a car pulled up outside the house.

"That them?" Gibbs asked Dex.

"Yeah, the gruff one is Mike Franks, he was my commander once upon a time, before he made the lateral move into law enforcement," Dex got up and walked to the door before Mike or his partner could ring the bell.

"Springfield." Mike said, "So why am I and my boss here at this time of the morning."

"Come on in." Dex said and ushered the two men into the lounge.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs. This is Mike Franks and Albert Massey NIS."

Massey, an older greying man, stood in front of Franks and extended his hand. Jethro shook it and invited them in as a sleepy Shannon walked down the stairs in her dressing gown.

"Mrs Gibbs?" Massey asked.

She nodded, "Tony's sleeping." She said to Gibbs.

He smiled and nodded, kissing her cheek he put the water on to make her tea and switched on a fresh pot of coffee.

All five adults sat around the table while the water boiled.

"I called around after your phone call last night Dex." Franks started, "We got a report from Baltimore police. There was an accident on the beltway last night."

"What does this have to do with the kid?" Dex asked.

"Anthony Dante DiNozzo Senior, was killed last night in a head on smash with a truck."

Shannon's hands flew to her mouth with shock, "Oh my God!" she breathed.

She looked up to two terrified green eyes that stood looking at her, "Tony?"

They looked over to see the small tired boy in pajamas, holding a bear and looking worriedly at the group of adults all staring at him.

He blinked dropping the bear he was holding.

"That him?" Franks asked quietly.

Dexter nodded.

"Anthony…." Franks said walking over to the small boy and crouching down.

Tony stood looking at the men and noticed Mike's badge. "Are you a policeman sir?" he asked.

Mike nodded, "In a way, we are with NIS, we investigate crimes that happen to service personnel or their dependants."

Tony's eyes grew wide, "But I paid sir, I mean I know I should have asked, but...but...they said it would be ok, I left money for the food I took….I didn't mean to stay longer." He stood up to walk to the stairs, hopefully before the policemen took him away they would let him get dressed.

"Tony…" Shannon said, "They just want to talk to you."

Tony nodded, "May I please get dressed first?" he asked.

Mike looked worried, "You gonna be ok?" he asked.

Tony nodded, "Yes sir, I will be...I'd just rather do this dressed, these pajamas don't belong to me sir, Mr. Gibbs let me borrow them."

Mike looked at Bert confused, they had never had a child interview like this before, however the rules stated that the child should be allowed to ask for what he wanted that would make him comfortable.

"Alright son, you get dressed and we will talk when you get downstairs." Bert Massey told him.

* * *

Tony walked into the room he had spent the night in and started shaking. His father was dead and there were two policemen downstairs.

'I told you you were useless, I wouldn't have been on the road if it weren't for you...it's your fault I'm dead...you killed me like you did your mother.' the specter of his father said standing in the corner of the room.

Tony curled up in a ball and cried.

'Why are you crying. DiNozzo's don't cry.' The spirit said.

Tony rubbed his eyes, "I'm sorry father." he sniffed. He braced himself for the impact he would usually get for disobeying his father, but it didn't come.

Tony took his pajamas off and folded them neatly. Placing them on the already made bed he started to get dressed, wincing when he bent down. The bruising that had been too faint to see last night was now a bright shade of purple. his back and torso were covered in marks.

Pulling on his pants he stopped as he looked for his socks, shirt and shoes, he couldn't find them and jumped as the door knocked.

"Tony...it's Gibbs, can I come in?" He asked.

"Yes sir." Tony said not thinking as he bent down to look under the bed. He couldn't have lost them there could he? he wasn't usually untidy.

Gibbs smiled as he saw a pair of feet sticking out from under the bed.

"You lost something?" He asked with a grin. The smile quickly fell from his face as the little boy scrambled from underneath the bed.

"Sorry sir, I seem to have misplaced my clothing...it's my fault...I will find…."

"Stop." Gibbs almost shouted.

Tony stood stock still.

Downstairs all talking stopped, Bert and Mike pulled their guns and with the others behind them climbed the stairs.

"Stop…" Gibbs said again, "Tony, you have nothing to apologize for son, Shannon and I washed your clothes last night, I just brought them to you." He looked at the boy who hadn't moved. "I need to know what happened there." he said pointing at the bruises on the boy's body.

Tony opened his mouth to say he was sorry again, but he couldn't make the words come out, his mouth opened and closed again in a garish example of a comedy goldfish.

He looked towards the clothes in the man's hands. He wanted to grab them and run, but he was paralyzed with fear.

"Gunny?" Dex called

Gibbs turned to see his friend in the door and from his vantage point he could see Franks and Massey in the hallway with their weapons drawn and Shannon standing behind them.

"It's ok." Gibbs said holding up a hand to placate them.

Franks moved forwards and caught a glimpse of Tony.

"God!" he cursed.

Gibbs shot him a look and handed Tony his shirt.

Instantly the boy took the shirt and put it on.

"Tony you need to tell us what happened to you." Franks said.

"I made a mistake sir." Tony said softly sitting gently on the floor to pull on his socks.

Having done so he carefully put his shoes on and tied his laces.

"Mr. Franks sir?" he asked looking around the room to make sure he hadn't left any mess.

"Yeah kid?" Mike replied.

"I...I think I'm ready now." Tony said.

Mike walked in the room and put a hand on the boy's shoulder to lead him downstairs.

As he passed Shannon, Tony stopped.

"Ma'am." he said to her.

"Shannon." She reminded him.

Tony nodded, "Shannon, thank you for the bath and the hug...your little girl is very lucky to have you….only, you may want to buy her a strawberry shortcake doll. you could use that money I left if you don't want to spend your money on one."

"A….what?"

Tony looked abashed, "I noticed she has three Raspberry Rum Tart dolls. she doesn't like them."

"How can you tell, you haven't met her?" Shannon was intrigued.

"I saw the dolls, but all her pictures are of Strawberry Shortcake." he explained.

Shannon realized he was right as he moved on and continued down the stairs.

He got to the door and picked up his bag Gibbs had dropped by the door.

"Can I please take this with me...it's all I have." Tony asked Franks.

"Take it where son?" Mike asked.

Tony cocked his head and looked quizzically at Mike, "Why to jail of course!" he exclaimed.

"Jail?" Massey asked. "Why would we be taking you to jail?"

"I...I heard you talking," Tony explained, "You said my father was dead, that he was killed on his way home. He wouldn't have been out if it wasn't for me, so it's my fault he's dead sir, so you sho...should arrest me and throw me in jail."

Mike knelt and looked at the boy, "Tony, no one is going to throw you in jail."

"But…?" Tony looked confused.

"We came to tell you about your father…." Mike started and patted the couch for him to sit on, "Dexter called me last night and told me about you, we tried to find your father, but he had been drinking and he lost control of his car."

Tony nodded. "We called his next of kin, they informed us that he had a son, and we knew about you from Dexter's call."

"Is  _he_ coming?" Tony asked.

"Your grandfather is unable to come to pick you up but your uncle is on his way from Italy." Mike said.

Shannon grabbed Gibbs' hand. They were going to lose him.

Tony nodded, "Antonio is busy...he runs the family business, Father didn't go there a lot. but Uncle Sal is nice. He works for grandfather too. Father says I will work for him when I grow up."

"I have talked to Salvatore DiNozzo, he says it will be a week before he can get here," Mike said turning to Shannon and Gibbs, "He was wondering if the boy could stay with you until his plane lands. He said….and I quote, you would be well rewarded for looking after Tonio."

"Of course we will have him!" Shannon gasped, "Not for a reward but because we like Tony."

Tony smiled a real smile and they stopped in awe, his face lit up in hope a thing they hadn't really seen since meeting the boy.

"You like me?" He asked full of hope.

Shannon pulled the boy into her arms. "Yes Tony we like you." she laughed.

Shannon stood up, "Alrighty, Tony. I have to pick up Kelly this morning would you like to come with me for a ride?" she asked.

Tony's smile disappeared and Shannon's heart dropped.

"What's wrong son?" she asked.

"I...I thought you were different, I thought you liked kids?" He asked confused.

"We do?" Gibbs said.

"But father took me for a ride and left me all alone….did you leave Kelly all alone?"

"No!" Shannon gasped, "Kelly spent the night with her grandmother, she's safe with a grown up in a warm comfy home.

"Oh…." Tony said in understanding. At least he thought he understood.

"Do you want to meet her?" Shannon asked giving her husband a silent look which he understood.

Tony nodded.

"Ok then kiddo, get some cereal and meet me at the door in ten minutes." she ordered.

* * *

Dex moved to get Tony some breakfast and Gibbs took Franks and Massey to the basement.

"OK…" he said as he closed the door and followed them down the stairs. "So what are you not telling us?" Gibbs asked.

"We have concerns about sending the boy back to his family." Massey said, "Especially since we saw those marks on him."

"They were probably caused by his father, we know his uncle couldn't have made them, he's in italy." Gibbs replied.

"Do you know who that kid is?" Massey asked Gibbs.

Gibbs shook his head, "No?"

"That is Anthony Dante DiNozzo Junior."

"Well, yeah...I know that!" Gibbs exclaimed.

"You've never heard of the New York DiNozzo's?" Massey asked. "Antonio Dante DiNozzo Senior is the head of the DiNozzo crime family, he has ties to the original mafia of Corleone in Sicily."

"Really? That kid is a mafia hood?" Gibbs scoffed skeptically.

"Yeah." Massey said.

* * *

Tony and Kelly arrived back two hours later, Kelly had hit it off with Tony straight away. Joanne had looked warily at the boy sitting in the back of her daughters car, but Kelly had run out opened the door and started asking Tony questions from the moment she saw him.

He for his part had made a friend for life when he handed her a Strawberry Shortcake doll and lunchbox, that he and Shannon had picked up on their way to collect her. Tony held tightly to the small green 1966 mustang car that Shannon had bought him.

Kelly came in the house and launched herself at her father showing him the pictures she had colored and telling him all about Tony who was standing in the doorway.

"He's my bestest friend Daddy...mommy says he's gonna be my big brother for a whole week!" she laughed.

Gibbs nodded. "Uncle Dex is coming around tomorrow, maybe you and Tony could go to the park with him."

Kelly nodded, "You'll come won't you Tony...the park is the bestest...they have swings and a slide….and…" she stopped. "Do you like the park Tony?" she asked looking at the confused look on his face.

"I liked Central Park, I went with uncle Sal once...I saw ducks on the lake." he said, but a frown crossed his face, "It wasn't so nice." he finished quietly remembering how when they left the man they had been there to see had been crying on a park bench as he and Uncle Sal left.

"But swings are nice?" Kelly insisted.

"You guys want some lunch?" Gibbs asked.

Tony nodded and Kelly ran into the kitchen.

"Spaghetti O's?" She asked.

Gibbs nodded and opened the can, "You want some Tony?" he asked.

Tony looked at it confused, he'd never seen spaghetti in a can.

"How does it fit in there?" he asked

Gibbs showed him the can and he sniffed it, "Cold?" he asked and his eyes went wide when he realized he'd just back talked Gibbs.

"Only till I heat it up," Gibbs grinned, "Try it, you might like it."

Tony sat at the table, his hands in his lap waiting to be told to eat as he'd been taught to. He watched as Kelly helped herself to milk and started eating without being told. Looking at Gibbs and Shannon to see their reactions he relaxed as they didn't chastise her, instead they listened happily as she told them about her night with her grandmother.

After a while Gibbs noticed Tony hadn't moved.

"Do you not like them?" Gibbs asked gesturing towards the meal.

Tony shrugged, "I don't know." he replied honestly.

"You should try them and find out." Shannon prodded.

Taking that as a cue that he could eat he picked up his knife and fork and started to carefully eat his meal without making a mess.

Shannon smiled as Tony ate his first fork full and grinned.

"I do like them." He told them after he had swallowed. "Thank you so much."

Gibbs shot his wife a look, a mixture of happiness that Tony was with them and sadness that it would be for such a short time.

But both were determined that the boy would enjoy the time he was with them and hopefully they would keep in touch.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Antonio Dante DiNozzo Senior woke up as the maid opened his curtains and placed his breakfast tray in his lap.

"Thank you Maria." He said as he stretched noticing his lawyer and his son sitting in two armchairs in the large and expensively furnished room.

"Consigliori." He acknowledged, "Salvatore? I didn't think you would be here for a few days."

"Don DiNozzo." The aging lawyer said, giving deference to the man in the bed.

"I take it by the fact you two have decided to invade my privacy, that there is a problem?" He asked sipping from his coffee cup.

The elderly lawyer nodded and waited to be given permission to speak.

The Don waved his hand and motioned for his son to speak first.

"Papa, you know about Tony?" he asked worried not knowing if his father knew about the accident.

The old man nodded, "It is a dark day for our family, Junior was a thorn in my side, his behavior was hard to cope with, but he was my eldest son….Are we sure that this was just an accident?" he asked.

Sal nodded, "I was contacted by some Navy cops apparently Tonio took his son and abandoned him…."

"You were told never to speak of that child in my presence, he is meta razza...a half-breed. He is not full blood Scillian, his father was warned when he married that English puttana that he was dead to the family." The old Don coughed as he ranted to his son.

"Father...my brother made a mistake, I know...but he is dead now...you have a chance to bring his son into the family." Sal argued.

Don looked over at his son, "You look so much like your brother….so...so much." he said sadly.

"Don DiNozzo...it will look bad on the family if we do not take the child in. We cannot afford to lose face with them it may affect your business interests. If we do not protect one of our own how can we protect others under your protection?" The old lawyer said.

The old Don laughed, "Giuseppe, you always were a shrewd man." he stated.

"There is another matter, the….woman that Antonio Junior married, Elizabeth Paddington...she had money, and a lot of it. It is being kept in trust for the boy." Giuseppe said.

"How much?" Sal asked interested.

"Close to thirty million dollars." The lawyer informed them.

Sal's eyes widened. "The boy has that much?"

The old Don shook his head, "No...you will have that, you will take over raising the child the money will be paid to the family in tribute, except for what you need to raise the boy. We cannot have him living with that American family."

Sal looked up in surprise, "You want me to take that...I mean the boy?"

"Your twin brother was stupid, he was a target for our enemies, the boy is a result of your brother's folly. However he is a DiNozzo...He could be groomed to a job in the family, maybe a low level enforcer." The Don said his mind working.

Sal nodded, "I will contact the authorities, let them know I am in Italy and that I have heard about my unfortunate brothers passing, I will ask about the well-being of Anthony DiNozzo...Junior?" he asked his father who nodded, "The title is his now….Salvatore, you will need to take one of the Long Island properties that Tonio had, you will now be given his part of the family, make me proud."

"I will Papa." Sal said already thinking about how he could make his father proud and spend the money that the boy's inheritance would bring him. Then something occurred to him, the reason he had left Sicily in the first place... "Papa...but what about the Macaluso family...They are still after me."

"Who do you look like?" The Don barked at his son.

"Sorry?" Salvatore asked confused.

"As soon as you pick up the boy, you will take on his father's name, the funeral will be for Salvatore Mario DiNozzo, and you will be Antonio Dante DiNozzo II."

"Will the boy go along with it?"

"He will have no choice."

* * *

Tony ran down the stairs….he had looked everywhere but he couldn't find her.

Shannon looked up as he ran into the kitchen and stopped short at the sight of her.

"I….I….Miss Shannon...I…." he stammered screeching to a halt.

"Tony?" She asked instantly worried, "What's wrong?"

Tears fell from his eyes and he started shaking, "I didn't mean to! We were reading...I...I fell asleep….I looked for her….but….but I  _lost Kelly!_ " he sobbed.

Shannon walked over and wrapped the boy in a hug and walked him over to the couch and sat down with him.

"It's alright Tony, Kelly came downstairs earlier, told us she had read you a story and you'd gone to sleep." She told him, she held him close and rubbed her hand up and down his back in a comforting manner until his sobs gradually died down. "We know you haven't been sleeping well, so we thought we would leave you to it. Kelly and Jethro have gone out to get Pizza and Ice cream for dinner." she told him.

"So…." His breath hitched as he got himself together, "Kelly isn't dead?" he asked. "I thought that I had left her and she died." he explained.

Shannon, if it were possible, pulled the boy tighter to her.

"No….no not at all, they are fine, Kelly is fine."

Tony relaxed slowly.

After a minute or two Shannon had to try to hide her smile as two inquisitive green eyes lifted slowly from her shoulder and followed by the impish grin that accompanied them asked, "So….Pizza?"

She laughed, "Yes...sausage, cheese and pepperoni for you and Kelly and a vegetable one for myself and Jethro."

Tony screwed up his face at that, "What did Gibbs do wrong?"

"Nothing," Shannon said getting up and heading back towards the kitchen, "But I have to sneak vegetables into him some way."

Tony followed her, "But Shannon?" he started.

She picked up a cloth to dry the dishes and turned back to him, "Yes Tony?"

"Gibbs said coffee was a vegetable, it's a bean and that's all he needs." Tony told her solemnly, but with a twinkle in his eye and a slight smirk.

Shannon laughed and threw the towel at Tony who caught it, "Gibbs is teaching you bad things, come help me dry….don't turn to the dark side."

Tony stepped forward and gave a low bow, "Yes my master." he said with a straight face.

Shannon laughed, "I knew we shouldn't have let you watch Star Wars." she said shaking her head as he helped with the dishes.

* * *

Tony had been here longer than the week that the policeman...No not a policeman...Mike...had told him that his uncle was getting a house and a few things set up so he could go and live with them.

He had talked to his uncle Sal on the phone, and tomorrow he was going to visit him. He had had a few sleepless nights about meeting an uncle, he hadn't even known. He had had no idea that he had family apart from his father until he'd been told about his uncle.

The other man that had been with Mike Franks, Mr. Massey didn't look happy about him visiting with his uncle, but a lady who had been yesterday from child services had assured him that his uncle had passed the checks and that he was a very nice man.

Tony walked over to the VCR and looked at the choices Jethro and Kelly had picked that afternoon for tonight's celebration.

"Dumbo? Again?" He sighed.

Shannon laughed, "Yes, you know it's one of her favorites, now come and help me with the popcorn mister."

Tony laughed as he went to help.

* * *

That night, as he lay in bed he turned towards the door as Jethro knocked on the door.

"Hey, you awake?" he asked as the door opened a crack.

Tony nodded, "Yes." he replied.

Jethro walked in and sat on the chair near the bed. He had noticed that during the movie Tony had gone quiet. Kelly had fallen asleep and as Jethro had carried Kelly up to bed Tony had quietly followed and gone into his room.

He sat and watched as Tony sat up, "Idon'twannago." he mumbled.

"Sorry?" Jethro said

Tony grabbed the small bear that he'd been given his first night and turned pulling his knees up to his chin.

"I don't wanna go." He repeated.

Jethro looked at the boy, he'd only been with them three week but he had carved a place in the older man's heart.

Truth was he didn't want him to go either.

"You'll be meeting your uncle tomorrow, I'm going with you so you don't need to worry and Miss French from child services will be there as well. If anything goes wrong you can leave. But your uncle has been working hard to get everything ready for you. He said he didn't know about you until he was contacted and that he'd love to get to know you." Jethro said brightly.

Tony looked at Gibbs, he trusted him. In the three weeks since he had snuck into the house looking for shelter and food, Gibbs had done nothing to hurt him.

Maybe...just maybe his new uncle would care about him and he'd be just like Gibbs.

"Ok." Tony said and lay down in the bed pulling the covers up to his chin.

Gibbs walked over and tucked him in.

"I'm sure it will be fine." he reassured Tony again.

Tony smiled as he closed his eyes, "I hope he likes me…" he said as he drifted off to sleep.

Jethro ruffled his hair, "What's not to like kiddo."

He walked to the door and turned out the light, ignoring the strange feeling he was starting to get in his gut.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Tony got up and looked at his clothes jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt.

He would have preferred a suit, but he didn't have any. He just hoped his uncle wasn't like his father and wouldn't hold the fact that he was dressed down against him.

His gut was churning but it was nearly eight o'clock, so he hurried up and got dressed. He brushed his hair rapidly patting down the stubborn part of his hair that just wouldn't be tamed.

He tied his shoes and headed quietly downstairs.

Gibbs leaned with his back to the countertop in the kitchen a mug of coffee in his hand while Shannon made pancakes. Kelly was still asleep and they didn't see the need to wake her as Gibbs would be the one to take Tony to his meeting with Miss French and Salvatore DiNozzo.

"You hungry Tony?" Shannon asked.

Tony shook his head, "Not really...but you cooked so I'll try." he smiled at her, he wasn't sure if he was coming back after the meeting and he had a lump in his throat that wasn't going away.

Shannon handed him a short stack and a glass of orange juice.

Tony sat and poked at the pancakes with a fork.

"I really can't…" he said after trying a forkful and a mouthful of juice.

"Don't worry." Shannon smiled. She took the plate away and proceeded to clean up.

"We need to go." Gibbs said picking up his keys.

Tony nodded walked to the stairs and picked up his bag.

"You bringing that?" Gibbs asked.

Tony nodded, he couldn't speak but he ran into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Shannon.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." she said.

Tony nodded with tears in his eyes and then he turned and ran out to the car.

Shannon walked over to Jethro and kissed him. "I will see you both later, keep an eye on Tony, I don't know why but I don't like this."

Gibbs stroked his hand down the side of her face, "It'll be ok Shan. It's just nerves he's meeting his uncle for the first time, a few more visits and he'll be fine."

* * *

Tony sat silently in the car all the way to the meeting, Gibbs tried talking to him, but he said nothing he just gripped his bag tight and stared out of the window.

He remembered his father telling him about his Uncle Salvatore, he had always complained he was his grandfathers favorite son and how he had been his grandfather's favorite son until Tony was born. It was all Tony's fault that he had been cut off from the main source of the families wealth. He wondered if his new uncle would take him in, but honestly he had hoped that he wouldn't, he wanted to stay with Gibbs and Miss Shannon, they were nice people and he felt cared for there. For him this was a good feeling and he didn't want it to end. He had a good friend in Kelly too and hoped if he had to go to live with his uncle Salvatore that he would at least be able to visit with the Gibbs' again.

They walked into a calm welcoming room, there were comfy couches and a coffee table. Miss French had made coffee and had some pastries on the table. A folder with all Tony's details were inside. She stood up and smiled as Tony and Gibbs entered.

"Mr. Gibbs….Tony, Welcome, how are you?" She asked.

"We're fine." Gibbs said shaking her hand.

"Please sit." she said.

She waited as they sat down Gibbs took one end of the couch and Tony the other as far from him as he could sit.

"Mr DiNozzo is on his way, I asked you here first as I wanted to talk to Tony before the meeting."

Gibbs nodded, he had expected as much.

"Tony, what do you want to happen from today?" Miss French asked.

Tony shrugged. He didn't know what he really wanted other than to go home with Gibbs. He didn't know this other man and he wasn't sure what he was going to be like.

Miss French nodded understanding. "We will be working towards what is best for you Tony, If you want to say anything you let me know. It is important that your wishes and feelings are heard."

Tony looked up at her, "I wanna stay with Gibbs." he whispered just as the door opened and a man entered.

* * *

Tony's eyes went wide in fear, "F...F...Father?" he asked as he started to shake, "I...I…."

"Tony?" Miss French asked looking at the stricken boy.

"Antonio...I apologize, I thought someone would have warned you." he said shooting a look of annoyance at Miss French, "I am your uncle Sal, I am Antonio's brother, his twin brother."

Tony blinked in surprise, "You look just like my father."

Sal smiled and at that point Tony decided maybe it wasn't his father, after all, he had never seen his father smile.

"I am so sorry it took me so long to get here, I was abroad when I learned about my brother's death. I needed to wrap up my business out there and find somewhere for Antonio and I to live comfortably."

"You were living in Italy?" Gibbs asked.

Salvatore nodded, "I was, business kept me there for a few years but Tonio needs a family and I need to be here for him now. He is more important than a business."

Tony looked at this man again in surprise, he was more important that business. His father had never said that!

He gave Salvatore a small smile and received a bigger one in return.

"So….Tonio…"

"Tony." Tony told him quietly, "I like to be called Tony."

Sal nodded, "Of course Tony. What do you like to do?"

"I like running, swimming and reading….and basketball." he replied.

Sal smiled, "That's nice. Do you like horses, the house I've bought has stables I thought we could buy some horses and go riding, I can see about getting a basketball court built."

Tony nodded, he didn't like riding really, but his uncle was trying so hard he didn't want to disappoint him.

"I can't wait till you can come home with me and we can be a family."

"When will that be?" Tony asked.

Miss French smiled, "When would you like to go, I have conducted a preliminary check on Mr. DiNozzo's home, it's lovely, I think you will love it there."

"Would you like to go today?" Sal asked.

Tony shot Gibbs a worried look, "Will I see Gibbs and Kelly and Miss Shannon again?" he asked.

Sal smiled "Of course you will."

"How about you go for a few days, we will meet up again in three days time and you can tell us how you got on?" Miss French offered.

Tony nodded, he didn't really have a choice. It was only three days and if he didn't like it he could go back to Gibbs.

* * *

Gibbs gave Tony and encouraging smile while his gut did somersaults.

He stood up as Miss French ended the meeting. "I will need to get Tony's things." Gibbs told them.

"But….Gibbs? I have my bag here, I didn't think I was going to go back." Tony said.

"Tony you can always come back, you are always welcome in my home."

Tony nodded, he wasn't sure if it were true, but he did hope so.

He smiled and stood and gave Gibbs a hug. "Thank you." he whispered.

Gibbs patted Tony on the head, "See you in three days." he promised.

As they left Sal walked with Miss French to the car and handed her an envelope. "Thank you for your help today." he said.

She took it and looked inside, her face lit up in a smile, "No thank you Mr. DiNozzo." she replied and held the door as Tony climbed into the back of the car. "Have fun Tony."

He looked at her warily, something had just happened and he wasn't sure he liked it. "I will Miss French." he replied.

Pulling away Salvatore looked at Tony in the rearview mirror, "Relax Antonio, we have a long drive ahead of us….and a stop at a suit shop on the way, we can't have you wearing ' _ **that'**_  when you meet your grandfather for the first time."

Tony took a deep breath as he looked out of the window, 'Oh yeah.' he thought to himself, 'this was not going to be good at all.'

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning...my beta reader says this chapter is brutal.

Tony sat at the window of his home watching and waiting as he had done for three days after he had arrived.

Gibbs hadn't come.

His first meeting with his grandfather had not gone well. Sal and Tony had pulled up to a large house that Tony had remembered his father driving by a few times. They had stopped and Sal bought Tony a new suit and insisted that he get a haircut.

"Now, when, you meet your grandfather you will show him the proper respect. It is Sir or Don DiNozzo. Do you understand?"

Tony didn't but he nodded anyways.

"Uncle Sal…."

"NO!" Sal snapped. "You will call me  _father_. That is important from this moment on. For all intents and purposes, I am your father. The funeral you are attending this afternoon is for your uncle Salvatore."

Tony looked surprised, "But...my dad…?"

" _ **I**_  am your father and that is that, otherwise we may both be killed... _ **Do you understand**_?" He snapped.

Tony nodded. He had nowhere to go, but it was just three days...three days then he could see Gibbs and Shannon again.

They walked into the house and a man looked at them both, "Anthony welcome home," the butler said as he opened the door.

Sal nodded, "Thank you. This is my son, Anthony Junior. Is my father home?" he asked before stepping inside.

"He is in the library," the older man said as he moved to let them in giving a slight nod to the telecommunications van parked out the front. As he closed the door, Sal relaxed.

"That will help Sir," the man said.

Sal nodded, "It will, but even in here, from now on I am ' _that's'_  father," he said nodding towards Tony who was standing ever so still, an intense worried look on his face.

"The Don wants to see it," the man said and turned to lead the way.

Sal turned to his nephew, "Don't you embarrass me now."

"I won't Uncle S…." Tony stopped as Sal turned him and pushed him against the wall.

"What did you call me?" He snarled.

"S...Sorry...F...Father…" Tony said as he teared up.

"Do not forget i!" Sal snapped throwing him a handkerchief, "And Junior….DiNozzo's don't cry, so suck it up."

Tony wiped his eyes defiantly and turned to the man he had to call father.

"My name is Tony...n..not Junior."

"I am the real Tony DiNozzo," Sal informed him, "You are just Junior."

Tony nodded and followed two steps behind.

The man ahead of them opened a set of gilt ornate double doors, the largest Tony had ever seen. They opened up into a large room. The sun streamed in through the huge picture window on the other end of the elongated room. A wingback chair was facing the window as the trio entered.

"Don DiNozzo...Your son Antonio is here," he announced and stepped back.

Sal grabbed Tony harshly by the shoulder and dragged him forward.

"Don DiNozzo...Father…" Sal said warmly, embracing his father.

"Antonio, I have missed you so much. Welcome home in our time of grief."

"I am sorry for your loss Father. I loved Salvatore so much, he was a good man and I will miss him."

Sal knew that the FBI had bugged the room and that it was important that from now on the swap be permanent as he was now Anthony D. DiNozzo and this afternoon they were going to bury Salvatore DiNozzo.

"Father, I have someone I want you to meet. This is my son, Anthony Junior," he said pulling Tony around to stand in front of him.

"Ahh…." The old man looked down at the child, his eyes narrowing in disgust, " _This_  is your  _son?_ "

"Yes sir!" Sal replied proudly.

"Come here child," the old Don said, his bony hand reaching out to touch him.

Tony started shaking but moved forward as commanded.

"S..Sir…" He said and reached out to shake the man's hand.

The Don looked at him, "Welcome to the family Junior. I am sorry we didn't meet before now."

Tony looked hopefully at the elder man, but his gut told him that his words belied his eyes and he wasn't telling the truth. Looking into the old man's eyes he saw hatred and disgust, the same he had seen from his father before he had left him on the side of the road. They were not the same eyes that he had seen from the Gibbs'. Those eyes had been trusting and full of love.

"I have a room ready for you both. You may take your bags and settle in."

The elder Don turned to his son "Also...that other matter, is it being taken care of?" he asked.

Sal shot a look in Tony's direction, "It is being taken care of as we speak." He quickly ushered Tony out of the room.

As soon as the door closed Sal turned to Tony, "You will go to your room and rest up, the funeral for your uncle Sal is this afternoon. I will have someone bring you something to eat soon."

Tony looked at his 'father' and nodded, "Yes Father," he replied not wanting to push.

"Good boy." Sal smiled and walked his 'son' to his room.

* * *

Gibbs headed to Dex's house. Dex and Mike Franks were going over some things they had heard from an FBI contact, a new young agent called Tobias, and Mike thought that maybe Gibbs would want to hear it.

"Dex?" Gibbs called entering the house.

Mike turned from where he was leaning against the mantelpiece and nodded as Gibbs entered.

"Gibbs," he said in acknowledgment.

"Franks...Where's Dex?" He asked.

Dex grinned as he walked in with a young Italian behind him.

"Gibbs, this is Tobias Fornell, FBI...working on the LCN taskforce."

"LCN?" Gibbs asked confused while looking at the cocky Italian.

"La Cosa Nostra...I'm working on the Mafia Task Force."

Gibbs shrugged and sat down on Dex's overstuffed leather couch.

"What's all that got to do with me?" he asked.

"You took in Anthony DiNozzo's son, right?" Tobias asked.

"Yeah, he's staying with his Uncle Sal for a few days then CPS are bringing him back." Gibbs' gut clenched over the look of worry on the Italian's face.

"That's what I thought, something weird is going on…"Tobias said and took a sip of the coffee Dex handed him.

"What ya mean?" Gibbs growled.

"This afternoon most of the heads of the mafia families are going to the Funeral of Salvatore DiNozzo. In attendance will be the new heir apparent of the DiNozzo family, Antonio and his son Junior."

"Figured you'd wanna hear that Gibbs," Dex said.

"But how can the family be trying to pull off a switch like that? Tony's not gonna lie for them."

"Listen to this."

Tobias played the recording of the meeting in the Don's study.

"Tony sounded ok…" Gibbs said thoughtfully.

"He did, we have agents at the funeral this afternoon to see how he reacts. We honestly don't know if that was really his father that died in the crash or his uncle and unless the kid says something, we have no way to tell," Tobias said looking at the Marine. " When you get Tony back, would you allow me to come and talk to him?"

"You wanna interrogate a kid?" Gibbs asked.

"Not interrogate, just talk to him. Mr. Gibbs," Fornell said.

"Gibbs or Jethro," Gibbs said turning to him.

"Jethro." Tobias smiled, "Call me Tobias."

Gibbs nodded, "What did the old man on the tape mean about another matter being taken care of?" he asked.

"We don't know. People are watching the house but none of the family have left."

* * *

The man sat in the truck, watching and waiting. He had seen the man leave the house earlier but the woman and child were still there. His orders had been to kill them all. His family were in debt to the mafia and he needed to clear that debt. So he watched and waited.

A woman and young girl walked hand in hand out of the house and climbed into the family's station wagon. The woman smiled to the child as they drove off. After a moment the man followed. He smiled as they pulled into a nearby park. The truck he was in was perfect cover. He pulled in beside them and smiled to the woman as he got out leaning over the back of his truck to collect the gardening equipment he had in the back.

Shannon walked carrying the picnic basket as Kelly ran happily ahead. She had been missing Tony and this impromptu picnic seemed to have cheered her up to no end.

"Can we go to my secret place?" Kelly asked as she ran back up to her mother.

"Of course we can," she replied knowing that Kelly wanted to have her picnic in her 'secret garden', a small copse of trees with a clearing in the middle. She had discovered it just after her mother had started reading her the book. She delighted in the story declaring it her secret base and that her daddy would one day build her a house there that she would live in with a whole bunch of puppies.

As all mothers were wont to do Shannon would smile indulgently at her child and followed along behind carrying the picnic basket as her daughter skipped happily ahead, not noticing that they in turn were being followed.

Pedro Hernandez knew he couldn't get them all at the same time, but he figured if he got the woman and child now, it would be easier and he could always come back and finish the job with the husband. They seemed like a nice family and he had no idea what they had done to incur the wrath of the DiNozzo Mafia family and frankly he didn't want to know. He wanted to just do his job and go home to his own wife and children in Mexico.

In a way he envied the child, as she would never learn about the horrors of this world and by the end of the day she would be an angel, like the ones he told his daughter Paloma about.

Maybe...he mused, he should buy his daughter an angel doll as a gift for when he returned.

He set up out of sight and as he put his rifle together, he contemplated that he would take out the child first. No child should have to see her mother die and he was first and foremost a family man. This was just a job...but it didn't mean he didn't have a heart.

Kelly was playing, dancing with her doll and laughing as the bullet whizzed through her brain. She never felt anything, never knew that soon her mother would be joining her. She never heard the scream of horror from her mother, which was rapidly cut off as he body joined her daughter's on the grass in the secluded area.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Driving with Dex back to his house, Gibbs put his foot down as he noticed a patrol car parked outside his house. Screeching to a halt, his gut churning, he ran up the sidewalk to his front door.

"SHANNON!" He yelled.

He got no reply as his home was empty. He went back to the front door to see the two police officers talking to Dex who crumpled in front of him.

"Dex?" Gibbs took a step forward, "Tony? Is he…" He trailed off at the look of utter devastation in his friend's eyes. He knew then that Dex wouldn't look like that over a boy they had just met.

"What…? Sh...Shannon…? is she hurt? Where's Kelly? Dex... _ **DEX!**_ " Gibbs grabbed his friend by the shoulders shaking him violently.

"Gibbs...they're dead… shot...police think a drug deal gone bad and they were caught in the crossfire."

Of course Gibbs heard none of that after the words  _they're dead_. As he slumped to the sidewalk in a howl of grief which chilled all within sound of it to the bones.

* * *

A week later a hollow man stood with his friends, Dex, Mike and his father, who to his disgust had shown up with a date, at the funeral of all he held dear. Dex on one side and Mike on the other held up their friend as he moved through the paces, doing all that was asked of him to lay his family to rest with the dignity they deserved. As the coffins were gently lowered into the ground, Gibbs felt his knees give way and was grateful for Dex and Mike's support.

Jackson walked over to his son, "Leroy?" he called as Gibbs turned away from the gravesite.

Jackson let go of the arm of the woman he was with and jogged forward to catch up with his son, "Leroy?" he said again as he clasped his arm.

" _Don't!"_  Gibbs snarled as he snatched his arm away. "You have nothing to say to me and nothing I wanna hear." He turned storming off to his car and left Jackson wondering about the boy that Shannon had told them about. The one they had planned on adopting.

The ride back from the funeral was silent.

"I  _need_  to get him. I want the bastard who killed my girls brought to justice. I wanna know why they died." He said to no one in particular.

"I've taken the case on Jethro," Mike told him, "I'm gonna find out for you. I promise."

Gibbs nodded still staring blankly into space. He had lost everything. His life was devoid of hope, yet something in his gut was screaming that he had forgotten something, someone important. And he vowed that he would never  _ever_  forget his girls.

* * *

It had now been a year.

No one had come for him and it seemed to Tony that no one cared. It was obvious that all he had been told by the Gibbs' was a lie. Salvatore DiNozzo had slipped into the role of Antonio DiNozzo, and after the funeral, where Tony had cried for his father. Even the Fed's hadn't had a dry eye when Anthony DiNozzo Senior very publicly picked up his son and consoled him on the loss of his favorite uncle. What they hadn't seen was the scene behind closed doors later as his father punished him for crying at the funeral.

Tony had there and then decided the only man he would trust was Gibbs.

So he waited. Three days came and went and Gibbs didn't turn up. Neither did the social worker, who had mysteriously won a huge amount of money on a lottery game and had retired to Argentina for her health.

Tony had wanted so badly to go back and see Gibbs and Shannon and Kelly. He guarded, like a precious stone, the teddy bear he had been given, taking him on every business trip he'd had to go on with his father and making sure he was never left behind and  _never_ seen _._

When left alone long enough, he had written a few letters to Gibbs, Shannon and Kelly, none of which had been answered. He wasn't sure what he had done, but obviously all he had been told about them wanting him to be a part of their family was a lie.  _This_ was his life now. A life with a man who treated him, in some ways, worse than his first father had. A man who looked like his father and sounded like his father. And of course beat him like his father. After a while, Tony forgot the difference.

Some nights he remembered the nice lady with the long red hair who had treated him like he was a real boy and not a piece of luggage to be dragged around the world by his father. The one thing he kept sacred was his love of movies instilled in him by Shannon and his time when he lived with a real family.

In the dark, while his father was either with his latest woman or getting drunk in the study, Toney would barricade shut the door to his room. After finding his favorite corner - out of the sightline of his father should he break through the barriers - Tony would snuggle up with his bear. With his his nose pressed against the bear, each intake of air, the scent from the stuffed animal triggered memories of being safe. And what it felt like to be a part of a loving family.

* * *

Time had moved on, as it usually did.

Gibbs had left the Marines, but he hadn't left the house he had lived in with all the memories of his family in it. He had joined NIS and was now working under Mike Franks. He hadn't talked to his father since the day of the funeral and had poured himself into his work. Every once in a while he would drink a little too much and see the image of Shannon and Kelly standing at the foot of the stairs watching him with sadness in their eyes. It was in those moments he would get the feeling he had forgotten someone.

But as time moved on and Gibbs met and married Diane. He hadn't told her about his first wife and daughter. He had moved all of their things either to the attic, or to a storage locker he had purchased for large items.

Diane wasn't stupid. She had looked on the marriage certificate and had seen the word  _Widower_  beside his name. But nothing, nothing at all in his life told her that he had ever had a child, until one day there was a knock on the door.

* * *

Tony had had enough.

His father had taken him to Hawaii, a business trip and he said another educational trip for his son. Tony sighed as he was sure that being home educated was just his father's way of keeping his mouth shut. But at twelve years old and not knowing anyone, he really didn't have anyone to open his mouth to.

Sal yawned as he opened the door to Tony's room, "You awake?" he snapped.

Tony stood up and nodded, "Yes father."

Sal...Anthony DiNozzo Senior, looked his 'son' up and down. "You got work to do?" he asked.

Tony looked at the notebooks piled in a corner, "Yes sir," he answered.

Sal nodded. "I will order you some room service, and leave my card so you can order food later. I have a meeting off the island so I will be back tomorrow. You are to stay here and not talk to anyone apart from room service, do you understand?"

Tony's eyes darted to the window at the inviting sea and sand not more than thirty meters from their room.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" Sal shouted.

Tony flinched, "Yes sir."

"I will have someone watching the apartment, I'll know if you lie to me kid. You know what happens to people who lie to me, right?"

Tony nodded. Unfortunately he did.

A month ago he had been working late on a project his tutor, Mr. Parkinson, asked him to do. He was a nice guy and enjoyed learning from him. He had been writing about history and prohibition, he was really enjoying the subject, especially as they had just touched on Elliot Ness, the detective in the FBI...or was it the precursor to the FBI. He didn't know...he had gotten caught up in talking to Mr. Parkinson about what the FBI did and how cool a job that could be, until his 'father' had walked in on them and had told Mr. Parkinson to wait in his office.

He had watched through a gap in the door as his father and two other men who worked with him entered. They had beat his tutor and forced him to confess he actually was an FBI agent.

At that point his 'father' had pulled out a gun and Tony had closed his eyes running away from his father's study tears flowing freely down his face in terror.

A moment later, covered in Mr. Parkinson's blood his father had crashed in behind him, hit him until he had screamed for eavesdropping having heard Tony as he had turned and run, his sneakers squeaking on the wooden polished floor. He ordered him to promise  _ **never**_ to talk to anyone outside the family again.

Sal gave a short barking laugh in the direction of the boy and slammed the door shut, if it wasn't for the money being held in trust for when the kid turned 18, half of which his father was destined to inherit he would have dumped the kid ages ago.

Since that day, Tony only spoke to his father when he was spoken to. He had immersed himself in his studies and more than anything he was determined to finish the project he had been assigned while he waited for his new tutor to start.

Closing his book, he sighed as he opened the curtains on a brand new day, wondering if his father had forgotten him on purpose having not returned to his hotel to pick him up.

He ordered room service and picked up the phone again to dial the number he was told never to dial unless he had an emergency.

The phone was instantly answered, "Anthony DiNozzo." the slurring voice came down the line.

"Father? It's Tony." he said, listening to the laughter in the background.

"Father? I'm no ones father...go away kid." Sal slammed the phone back down in the cradle and turned to the two blondes on his arm. "Crank call." he explained, not realizing that the phone hadn't hit the cradle properly and Tony heard every word.

The waiter who brought the food to the suite was concerned. He had two smaller siblings one of whom was Tony's age and had noticed that the kid hadn't left the room the entire time he'd been in Hawaii. In fact he had noticed that Tony's father had left the hotel 3 days before and hadn't checked back in.

"Room Service." He called.

Bringing up yet another pizza and coke, Danny knocked and waited as the voice from the behind the door called to allow him entrance.

"Come in." Tony called.

Danny opened the door with his pass key and trundled the trolley into the room.

"Mr. DiNozzo?" he called.

Tony sauntered out of the room, "Dad's in the shower." He lied.

Danny looked around, there were no signs of an adult there at all.

"Ok kid, well...have your old man sign this and leave it with the tray when you're done."

Tony nodded and as Danny walked out he took a look behind him just in time to see the kid sign the paper.

Danny headed down to the manager's office.

"Sir I think we have a problem in suite 216." He said as he entered and sat down to explain his suspicions.

Mr. Marsters nodded, "I believe you are right Daniel. Thank you...I will try to contact Mr. DiNozzo."

Danny left hoping that when he returned to work the boy in suite 216 would be reunited with his family.


	8. Chapter 8

Tony sat in the manager's office, worried but his face not betraying how he felt as the manager looked over at the boy.

"Look...Anthony…" The manager, Mr. Masters started.

"Tony…" He mumbled, "My name is Tony...I need to get back to my room Sir, my father will be missing me."

Mr. Masters smiled kindly, "Son, I know that your father isn't here. He left a few days ago and not one of my staff have seen him come back."

"He was in my room this morning." Tony lied.

"I have tried to call him, so far there is no reply. I took the liberty of having Daniel look through your father's room, apart from these, it is empty." He handed Tony two envelopes.

One was addressed to the manager and one to Shannon and Jethro Gibbs.

"This is for you." Tony handed the manager the smaller of the two letters.

He swung his legs absentmindedly, focusing on his shoelaces as the manager read the letter.

He jumped as the man slammed the letter down on the desk, "Dammit!" Masters cursed then looked up. "I am sorry Tony, I didn't mean to scare you. Would you like to go to the restaurant and have some lunch, I will have Danny keep you company and you can have anything you wish, the bill is on me. I need to make some calls. Could you come back here afterwards?" He asked.

Tony nodded and looked up as Danny walked in the room.

"Hey kid, you up for some lunch?" He asked.

Tony nodded and stood up. "If you're sure it's ok?" He said looking at the manager.

Masters smiled, "I see you're partial to pizza. Go enjoy."

Danny smiled, "I know just the place sir, but not the restaurant, I'll get the tab."

His boss smiled, "I will see you both in about 2 hours then."

As the door shut the smile slipped from his face.

Damn that man, how could he do this to his own kid.

He looked down at the letter in his hand still surprised at the coldness in it.

To the manager.

You will have by now realized that I have not taken the boy with me.

He is a challenging child and has pushed me too far. He keeps telling me that he wants to live with a Jethro and Shannon Gibbs. They were going to be his foster parents anyway but I decided to give him a chance and bring him on this holiday.

Please inform CPS that the child is available for collection. I know his wishes are to be placed with Shannon and Jethro Gibbs. However if that is not possible, then I'm sure someone will want him.

God knows I don't.

Inside is a blank check to cover whatever bill he has run up since I left.

Yours

Anthony D. DiNozzo Senior.

Shaking his head, he picked up the phone and called Hawaii Child Protective Services.

* * *

Ms Halloran sat with her briefcase on her lap before a stunned manager.

"You can't what?"

"I said, we cannot have Mr. DiNozzo arrested and charged. He left his son in your care. He left money for his food and lodging and a suitable foster placement for the child." she replied.

"You know these...Gibbs' are a suitable family?" He asked stunned.

She smiled and nodded, "I made a few calls before coming over to you. I have been emailed two tickets to Los Angeles by Mr. DiNozzo, so his son will be able to get back to US soil, I will accompany him to his new home."

"I don't get it?" Masters shook his head in disbelief, "This child was abandoned."

"He was left in suitable care and there is no minimum age for a child to legally be left alone." She opened a manilla file she had taken from her briefcase. "Mr DiNozzo's lawyers sent me his birth certificate and a signed parental release form."

"Fine." Masters sighed, "I wish we could do more for the boy."

Tony sat on the plane with Ms Halloran who was chatting away happily.

"So we are going to meet my father when we land?" He asked annoyed that she hadn't explained anything while he had packed his luggage and had said goodbye to Danny and the manager.

"Arrangements have been made, don't worry now, you need to be a good boy. Here...your father said you like Magnum, I got you this magazine." She pulled the magazine from her bag and handed it to him.

Gut churning but knowing now from bitter experience not to ask questions he sat back to read.

Landing at the airport in Los Angeles he expected to be met by his father or his driver, but neither were there.

"We have another flight to catch hurry up boy." Ms Halloran snapped.

Grabbing his bag off the carousel Tony ran to catch up.

"Miss...I think we are heading for the wrong flight, that one goes to Washington D.C. I live in New York."

"I have the right flight." She walked briskly ahead so he had to run to catch up. "TONY!" she called back and even though he had stopped stunned he followed.

Maybe his father was in D.C on business.

As the plane took off, Tony turned to the woman accompanying him.

"I don't mean to be rude but please...Where are we going?"

"Your father says you are too much to look after. His message to you was have it your own way you are going back to where he found you."

Tony shook, again he was going to be abandoned in Washington D.C.

He wondered if he would be able to find the Gibbs' again. If they even would want to see him. After all none of his letters had been replied too. He had written to Shannon and Kelly regularly for a year and no one had replied. Not even Gibbs.

He sniffed as a tear slipped down his face.

Ms Halloran looked at him with disdain. She was sure that the money the DiNozzo family were paying her was not enough. But she wasn't crazy enough to contact the real CPS. It had been a bit of good luck on her part that she was an ex social worker and had known enough in advance that she could be at her old colleague's desk to intercept the call when it came in. The DiNozzo's really thought of everything.

"You are not to cause a scene. Remember you are and always will be Anthony D DiNozzo Jr."

Right then Tony would have given anything to be anyone else.

Silently he left the plane, the flight attendant looking at the boy and wondering what was going on in his life to make him look so down.

"Have a nice day." She smiled at him.

He gave her a brilliant smile, even though it didn't reach his eyes, "It's gonna be an interesting one ma'am." he replied and hurried to catch up with Ms. Halloran.

* * *

He grabbed his back and fought back the urge to be sick as the doors to the airport came into sight.

"Are you leaving me now?" He asked her.

She shot him a look of annoyance, "No, I'm taking you to your next home."

Tony nodded and sadly followed her to the car.

Watching as the city became the suburbs of Alexandria, little flashes of memory assailed him. His first father, shouting at him and stopping in the dark, leaving him on the side of the road in a strange city. Walking for hours trying to find somewhere warm.

Again it was raining outside, just like it had on that first night.

He stopped reminiscing as the car stopped outside a familiar house.

"Gibbs?"

Tony flew up to the door bag in hand and didn't even notice as Ms. Halloran walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"You'll need to give them these." She handed him two envelopes and walked away.

For a second Tony stood rooted to the spot, she was leaving?

Then he realized again where he was and he knocked the door.

He jumped back confused as a strange woman knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Diane asked as she looked at the sandy haired pre-teen on her doorstep.

"I...Hi...I'm looking for Shannon? Is she in?" He looked past her, the house looked the same so maybe this was a friend.

"You have the wrong house son, go on home."

"No...I mean no I don't...Shannon and Kelly...she has to be about ten now right?"

"Look boy, I have no idea who you are talking about." Diane snapped.

Neither seeing the dark sedan pull up outside the house.

Tony took a step back, fighting back his tears, "They don't live here anymore? None of them, Shannon...Kelly...Gibbs?"

"Gibbs lives here, I'm his wife."

"No you're not?" Tony snapped.

She put her hands on her hips, "I assure you young man I most certainly am his wife, who are you?"

"Tony?" Gibbs' voice cracked as he took in the youngster on his doorstep.

"He didn't want me anymore Gibbs..." Tony looked broken and then he saw the new lines and look of sadness on Gibbs' face.

"And you don't want me either?" His shoulders slumped and he handed Gibbs the envelope.

Gibbs turned as he watched Tony walk up the path.

"Tony...stop…"

"Who is this boy Jethro."

Gibbs turned to Diane and without missing a beat just replied.

"He's my son."

At that Tony turned and ran headlong into Gibbs holding him tight and he sobbed.

* * *

Diane glared up the stairs as Gibbs opened the door to one of the two rooms he had never allowed her in, and placed Tony, now all cried out and asleep on the bed.

Walking down the stairs she looked at him.

"What do you mean he's your son? You don't have a child."

"Had two." He admitted. "Tony was my foster son for a while, just a little while and Shannon and I had Kelly."

"You never told me about them at all!" Diane hissed mindful of the sleeping child upstairs.

"None of your business." Gibbs shrugged and turned and headed for the basement.

"That's it…" Diane snapped and followed him downstairs.

Gibbs picked up a sander and started sanding the rib of the half built boat in the middle of the basement floor.

"You never listen to me Leroy. It's no wonder I…" Diane stopped looking guilty.

"It's no wonder you what?" Gibbs asked. "It's no wonder you've been cheating on me with my best friend?"

Diane looked shocked, "You know?"

Gibbs gave a hollow laugh, "Tobias and I are friends Diane. I introduced you remember. Yes I know. Here…." He threw a card at her.

"What is that?" Diane snapped.

"My lawyers number, you can leave tonight or the morning, your choice, Tobias is waiting for you… unless you were messing with him."

Diane pursed her lips and stormed up the stairs, "I'll leave tonight Leroy, you mark my words, my lawyer will take you to the cleaners. You lied to me."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow but said nothing as she turned and stormed upstairs to pack.

An hour later, the door slammed and five minutes after that a sleepy boy stood at the top of the stairs.

"Is she mad at me?" Tony asked.

Gibbs shook his head, "Nope."

He nodded towards the wood, "Come on, this needs finishing." He held out a sander to Tony and smiled as he helped Tony to sand the wood.

Tony yawned.

"Still tired?" Gibbs asked.

Tony nodded, "I flew from Hawaii."

"And boy are your arms tired." Gibbs smirked.

Tony smiled, "That's awful."

"I know," Gibbs agreed as they both headed up the stairs. "So we gonna look at the stuff you got me."

"Stuff?"

"One letter, one folder." Gibbs said.

"It's just from dad, he wants you and Shannon to have me, I'm in the way."

"Who?" Gibbs was confused. He knew that Senior was dead, he remembered that much.

"My dad." Tony yawned again.

"You head to bed sport, I'll look through these and we'll talk over breakfast."

Tony rubbed his eyes and headed back to the stairs.

"OK…"

Reading through the papers Gibbs' blood boiled.

Salvatore had taken on the persona of Anthony DiNozzo Sr. and had kept the boy until his inheritance had been transferred into his guardianship.

The man's disdain for the child's feeling were clear, but most happily of all was an already signed adoption form for Shannon and Jethro Gibbs to adopt one Anthony DiNozzo Jr on proviso that the boy kept his name.

Without even thinking Gibbs signed it.


	9. Chapter 9

Tony opened his eyes and for a moment thought he was still dreaming. He remembered this place? Gibbs' he was at Gibbs' house.

He sat up with a start to find Gibbs sitting on the chair in the corner of his room drinking coffee with some papers on the desk beside him.

"Morning." Gibbs said as Tony looked around in shock.

Tony's face split into a huge grin, "It wasn't a dream, I'm really here?" he asked.

"Yeah...you remember coming yesterday?" Gibbs asked as Tony sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

Tony nodded, "That lady, the one who said she was your wife. Did she really leave you because of me?" He asked.

"Na...She's in love with someone else, she just needed an excuse."

"So...What's going to happen to me….are you going to call my father?" Tony asked pulling his slippers onto his feet.

"Kinda a waste of time," Gibbs growled. Then he reached over to the piles of paper beside him. "Tony do you know what an open adoption is?"

Tony shook his head, "Does it hurt?" he asked.

Gibbs smiled, "Nope...might heal some hurt though." He replied. "An open adoption is where a child is adopted but the parent can still have some input into their life. Your...father?...Sal…"

"Uncle Salvatore is dead." Tony said, "Father and I buried him. But Father said I was to go to you now. Am I being sent away and adopted then?" Somewhere in his mind he had a memory of his father being the one that was dead, but as soon as he thought it his mind buried it and the memories of the pain that came with it.

"Adopted, yeah...if you want to, but not sent away. I was wondering if you wanted to stay with me and be my son."

"Tony Gibbs?" Tony asked with a smile on his face.

Gibbs frowned slightly and Tony noticed, "Actually I think I would prefer to keep my name, I like being DiNozzo."

Gibbs sighed deepening Tony's concern further.

"That's ok, I have been asked on this document to keep your name as DiNozzo."

Tony bit his bottom lip as a thought occurred to him, "My Father….did he hate me?" He asked.

"No...he just. He wasn't able to take care of you properly so he asked if I would. I have signed the forms to adopt you, but I won't file them if you don't want me to."

Tony smiled such a bright smile than Gibbs couldn't help but smile back and he opened his arms as Tony ran from the bed to Gibbs' arms.

"Thank you...Gib...Dad?" Tony tried.

If anything Gibbs' smile got wider, "Dad is good."

"We need to get these filed then don't you think?"

Tony nodded and stood up, "Come on then!" He exclaimed.

Gibbs grabbed a towel and tossed it at the child's head, "Not before you bathe and dress young man."

"Yes dad!" Tony pulled the towel off his head and with a lopsided grin and a whoop he ran into the bathroom.

Walking back into his room he made a mental note about what in there was Diane's and would need sending to her. For a moment he thought he saw Shannon in the corner of the room smiling, but it was a trick of the light, wasn't it?

He changed his shirt as he listened to his son singing in the shower.

He smiled and for the first time in a long while he noticed how much nicer it was outside, before they went to the courthouse though he promised to tell Tony about Shannon and Kelly and take him to visit them.

* * *

All dressed and fed they left in Gibbs' truck for the courthouse.

Tony was surprised as they pulled up outside a cemetery first and Gibbs got out and waited.

Tony sat for a moment and then realized than Gibbs was waiting for him to follow.

Halfway through the cemetery Gibbs sat on a bench and Tony stood beside him waiting.

"I didn't leave Shannon and Kelly." Gibbs said quietly their names catching in his throat.

"Where are they then?" Tony asked looking around hopefully.

There was no way Gibbs could tell him they had been shot, it was an image seared into his brain and he never wanted Tony to think of them like than.

"The day you left us, there was an accident. Shannon and Kelly were in the car and it crashed and they died."

Tony stood still as he blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. He was a DiNozzo and DiNozzo's didn't cry.

"I'm sorry Tony, they are buried over there...under that tree."

Tony stood and stared at the two headstones with white and pink blossom falling on them.

"Really, dead?" he asked his voice quivering.

Gibbs pulled Tony towards him and Tony let a few tears fall.

"I'm sorry Gibbs." Tony whispered.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." Gibbs said, "If this makes a difference to you about the adoption tell me now, we can always go home."

"I want to be your son, I am just sad than Shannon won't be my mom or Kelly my sister."

"They can be in your heart son, and maybe we can both heal, together."

Tony nodded and for a while held tight to Gibbs.

* * *

Arriving about lunchtime at the courthouse Tony and Gibbs waited as a friend of his, Judge Henry Davis came out to meet them.

"Gibbs?" Henry asked as he saw his old friend with a child.

"Henry, this is Tony DiNozzo, the reason we asked you to lunch, I wanted you to look over and file some paperwork for me."

Henry looked at the boy who was standing close to Gibbs and looked down at the paperwork and his eyes widened. "Really?!" He asked surprised.

Gibbs smiled, "Can you make it happen?"

Henry grinned, "You buying lunch from Elaine's?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Then I can make it happen."

Tony scrunched his face up but said nothing for a while and the trio went to the diner for lunch.

As they were pulling up outside the diner Tony grabbed Gibbs' sleeve.

"Gibbs?" He asked. "Did you just bribe the judge?"

Gibbs smiled, "It's a joke, If Henry couldn't do it he would have said no and there would be no hard feelings, I just thought this would be easier on you if we had an informal chat at the diner with the judge, he's an old friend of mine."

"That's right son." The judge agreed. "If you don't want this to happen we'll just have lunch and then go on with our day like nothing happened, Gibbs here just thought you might freak out in a courtroom."

Tony just shot Gibbs a withering look, "I'm not five Gibbs."

"No...no you're not son, but things have changed pretty fast for you and I just thought you'd appreciate this more."

Tony smiled, "I do…" he looked over at the woman coming with a huge burger on a plate and stared wide eyed as she sat it down in front of him.

"Club sandwiches and coffee for you and your friend Jethro and a Cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate milkshake for the young man here." Elaine smiled at them.

"Thanks Elaine, This is Tony...I'm adopting him." Gibbs' eyes sparkled as he told his friend.

"Well...Congratulations." Elaine smiled, "Lunch is on me Jethro. You call out if you want dessert Tony."

Tony looked up at the woman, she wasn't like any of the women his father had introduced him too, "Thank you Ma'am." He said politely making Elaine blush and giggle.

"He's gonna be a heartbreaker than one Jethro." She laughed as she turned to go back to her other customers.

Henry watched as Tony ate his burger with a smile on his face. Tony had missed this sort of food having had to eat the posh food his father enjoyed rather that the wholesome meals he had enjoyed when he had last stayed with Gibbs.

"So Tony, Do you want to be adopted by Gibbs?" Henry asked.

Tony nodded enthusiastically trying not to grin as he had a mouthful of food.

Henry looked through the paperwork, "Says here he needs to be educated at Remington Military Academy when he hits fourteen, his father's old school?"

Tony paled at that.

"It does, but Senior has said he will foot the bill." Gibbs said in a tone that indicated that he would be talking further to the judge about that.

"It is a good school, went there myself as a lad." Henry admitted.

"It is?" Tony asked and slapped a hand over his mouth when he realized he had spoken with his mouth full.

Judge Davis laughed, "Yes it is, it taught me how to be a fair a balanced person. Taught me right from wrong. I became a judge because of what I learned at Remington."

"I wanna play basketball." Tony admitted.

Henry smiled, "They have a great team there, some of the players have been picked up to play for state, then the Majors, is that what you would like to do?"

Tony nodded then for a moment he froze waiting for Gibbs to argue about what he wanted to do with his life, his father...both father's had argued that he needed to major in business once he got into college, but Tony had a nervous energy that wouldn't cope with being tied to a desk all day.

Gibbs nodded, "Sounds like a good plan." He agreed and Tony's smile shot off the scale.

* * *

He sipped at his chocolate milkshake and his thoughts strayed, less than two days ago he was terrified and in a hotel room in Maui and now he was with the man who had saved him a few years ago and he was getting a shot at a life where he was not going to have to watch people being shot again.

"Until he starts school we could get him a personal tutor." Gibbs suggested.

Tony paled and started shaking, "No...no...I'll be good please...don't…." He got up and shot into the bathroom and promptly lost his lunch.

Within moments the Judge and Gibbs were behind him as Tony sobbed over the bowl.

"Tony what is it?" Gibbs asked.

"Please I don't want another tutor…" Tony sobbed.

"Did your tutor do anything to you?" Gibbs asked gently crouching down next to the boy.

Tony shook his head, "He was great...but he taught me bad stuff...father had to deal with him...I...I don't want the new tutor to make a mistake."

"Mistakes happen Tony, maybe if we talked to your old tutor…."

"YOU CAN'T!" Tony yelled scrambling away from them, "He's dead okay, he's dead! ...he was with the FBI...he...they...they shot him….I had to clean up the mess." Tony sobbed.

Gibbs shot a look of anger at the judge and he knew he would be looking into this himself.

"Don't worry Tony, we won't get you a private tutor, you can have a few weeks and we'll get everything sorted." Henry promised. "You just need to go home and settle in with Gibbs."

"Can I stay with him forever?" Tony asked and looked at Gibbs, "Can I?"

Gibbs smiled, "You can stay with me for as long as you want to."

Tony grabbed Gibbs and buried his face into his chest, "I love you dad." he cried.

"I love you to Tony, I think we've had a long day. It's time we went home don't you think?"

Tony nodded and the trio left the diner.

"Well it was very nice to meet you young man," Henry said shaking Tony's hand while Tony's other hand stayed clamped to Gibbs' shirt. "I'll be over with the forms once they have been signed and notarized I don't think we need to take this to a courtroom, the boy has been through enough today."

"Thanks Henry." Gibbs said and turned towards the car, "Come on son, let's go home."

 


	10. Chapter 10

Settling in, for, Tony took a few weeks.

Not at any point did he ask Gibbs about his father, but Gibbs had been working behind the scenes to find out as much as he could.

Tony worked diligently throughout the day catching up on his schoolwork, however, he still refused to have a tutor. The nearest Gibbs could get him to agree to, was the teacher who lived down the road to pop over after work once a week, to set him work and mark what he had done in the previous week.

Gibbs waited in the diner as Judge Henry came in the door and shook off his umbrella.

"Horrible day isn't it Gibbs." Henry said as he sat down and nodded at Elaine for some coffee.

"Weatherman says it'll rain all week, Tony's going stir crazy." Gibbs admitted.

Henry looked up as Elaine poured him a coffee, "Thank you."

Gibbs waited until she went back to the kitchen.

"So…" He prompted.

"I talked to Anthony DiNozzo Senior's lawyers," Henry said not sounding impressed. "They have added a few stipulations, but agree in principle to your adoption of Tony."

"Stipulations?" Gibbs asked sounding slightly surprised. DiNozzo...whether it was Sal or actually Tony's father still remained to be seen. At this point even Gibbs wasn't sure who had died the night he and Tony had met.

"Stipulations...Apparently it is tradition for the DiNozzo's to attend Remington Military Academy. A stipend will be provided for the school fees and anything else he needs to fully attend that school."

Gibbs nodded. He had heard of Remington, it was a good school, although Tony wasn't old enough to attend yet.

"The stipulations are that after graduation from Remington, Anthony DiNozzo Junior apply to Harvard or another good business school.

"Ok, I can't see a problem in that." Gibbs said after all applying was not the same as attending.

"Also until he is 21, Anthony DiNozzo Junior is not to go into New York or any of the boroughs, Nor is he to enter Long Island or contact any of his grandfather's family." The judge gave a smirk at that.

Gibbs grinned, "So, I'm not to let Tony anywhere near his Mafia family in New York? I think I can agree to that."

The judge nodded, "Thought you might. Senior would like to be sent a copy of his school report each year and to have a visit with his son twice a year."

"Visit?"

"Apparently the Elder DiNozzo is keen to keep his grandson safe, which is why he has allowed the adoption, but he wants his son to keep in contact however briefly with his father."

"Are we really sure that Senior is his father?" Gibbs asked.

Judge Henry shrugged, "Tony says he is, his family say he is, I really don't know how else to check."

Gibbs understood, apart from the fact that he knew one of the DiNozzo brothers had died that night, there really was no way of telling them apart.

"Is that it?" Gibbs asked.

"One last thing, DiNozzo is not to go to public school, again it's fear that enemies of his family will find him and hurt him."

"I'll find a private school, hopefully somewhere nearby."

"If you accept, then we go to court, do the paperwork and Tony is your son….in all but name."

Gibbs smiled as he took a sip of his coffee. Finally he had a family again, He couldn't believe how this kid who had wandered into his home on a cold, wet, night had snuck his way into his heart.

"Can you fit us in tomorrow morning?" Gibbs asked.

"Sure, 9am be ok for you, I have a case starts at 9.30 so I can fit you in."

"Thanks."

* * *

Tony looked out of the window at the pouring rain. He hated being stuck inside but Gibbs had gone to a meeting with the judge and he had work to catch up on.

He was looking forward to starting school, there was a good local school down the street and he had seen a few of the neighborhood kids walking to school in the mornings, chatting and playing basketball and he longed to join them.

He looked over as Gibbs' truck rolled to a halt in the driveway and he got out carrying what looked suspiciously like Pizza.

Tony grinned and ran down the stairs.

"Hey Gibbs, is that pizza?"

"Sausage, Cheese and Pepperoni, extra large." He placed it on the table as Tony pulled up to a halt.

"Bad news pizza?" He asked.

"Not exactly." Gibbs got a couple of plates and set them down on the table, pouring them two glasses of soda to go with them.

Tony pushed the pizza around his plate, waiting for Gibbs to fill him in, "We sign the papers for your adoption tomorrow, but your father has put some rules in place."

"What are they?" Tony asked worried.

"You need to keep your name. We have to send him school reports and you have to go to private school."

"I can live with that." Tony replied not really caring where he went to school.

"And Senior wants at least two visits with you a year." Gibbs added on.

"What! Why?" Tony dropped his slice of pizza and stood up.

"I don't know, but they will be supervised and he will not be able to take you anywhere, alright?"

"But…." Tony looked panicked. "Last time he took me away…"

Tony stopped, he didn't want to remind Gibbs what had happened the last time he had been told he was going to visit with his father, and what had happened to Shannon and Kelly straight afterwards.

"It's different this time." Gibbs promised, "I will be here and I will be your father."

"No," Tony corrected him, "Senior will  _ **always**_ be my father. You are my  _dad,_  there is a difference."

Gibbs nodded, happy at the slot Tony had picked for him.

"So, you eat...show me what you've been doing since I've been out and then we'll watch a movie later?"

Tony grinned as he moved to attack his pizza with gusto, "Sure thing Pops…"

Gibbs gave a halfhearted glare at his soon to be son, "Ok...Dad." Tony grinned with his mouthful of pizza.

Gibbs shook his head in amazement at the moods his son seemed to pick up, live with him was going to be anything but dull.

* * *

Tony had been living with Gibbs for all of two years before Jethro started dating again and then a year later, he married a woman named Rebecca.

She had been nice and attentive to him while Gibbs had been dating her. But since they had been married her reactions to Tony had rapidly gone downhill.

Tony exited the school bus at the corner of the street and hauled his bag over his shoulder realizing that his dad was working and hadn't made it home before him.

He sighed and trudged up the path to the front door.

"I'm home!" He called out.

"Oh,  _ **HI!**_ " Rebecca called brightly as she leaned against the door frame in the kitchen.

From where he stood by the door he could smell the alcohol coming off her in waves.

"A little early don't you think?" The teenager drawled derisively as he dropped his bag down.

"I don't know what you mean." She argued as she took a few steps forward and fell into the armchair.

Tony sighed, "You're as drunk as a skunk Rebecca. Dad's gonna pitch a fit if he sees you."

Her face fell, "He never sees me, he's always working or in his basement or spending time with you." She complained.

"He has a hard job." Tony argued as he helped lift her into the chair. She was quite slim and beautiful, but for a fifteen year old, she was still quite a weight to move.

"Maybe I should spend time with you?" Rebecca suggested wiggling her eyebrows and placing a drunken hand on Tony's ass.

"Ew…" Tony took a step away from her looking at her disgustedly.

"See even you won't look at me."

"I'm fifteen!"

He moved to the kitchen to make her a coffee to sober up. He knew Gibbs loved her and didn't want his dad to be upset by finding out his new wife was a drunk. After all he had never seen her like this, so he still thought, she was wonderful. Tony loved his dad and didn't want to see the same look on his face he'd had the night Diane left him.

"Come on, let's get you sobered up before dad comes home." He sat her at the table and handed her the sweetened coffee.

Rebecca stared into the darkened depths of the cup, "What's wrong with me Tony? I don't get it. He looked excited when you go to talk to him, and when I do he gets a migraine." She took a big gulp of her coffee and grimaced at the taste, "And he drinks so much of this stuff, it's foul!"

Tony gave a half-hearted grin, "Yeah but it's good for  _you._ " he pushed handing her a second cup and a couple of tylenol. "We need to get you showered and changed." He said taking the cup and leading her upstairs, "Dad'll smell the booze on your clothes, you finish this and get in the shower, I'll put the laundry on and get dinner started." He said as he pushed her in the bedroom and waited as a pile of clothes were dropped outside the door.

With a sigh he took them and headed downstairs to put them in the machine and the laundry he started last night into the dryer.

Then he climbed the stairs and started the water boiling for pasta as he heard the shower running upstairs.

He took his books out and as the meal was cooking started on his homework when something caught his eye. It wasn't much, but it got him wondering.

A lone sock on the floor by the back door.

He walked over and picked it up. It wasn't his, it was too small. He was sure it wasn't his father's either, but with a shrug he took it downstairs and dropped it in the basket of normal laundry to be done later.

* * *

An hour later, freshly showered and slightly more with it Rebecca, in clean jeans and a t-shirt and wearing an apron tied around her middle came downstairs.

"So what am I cooking tonight?" She asked Tony as he looked up at her.

"I dunno, I'm making pasta." Tony groused, he was tired and the math problems were driving him insane.

Rebecca hit him around the back of the head. "Don't talk back to me young man."

"You hit me!" Tony exclaimed in surprise.

Rebecca gave a nasty smile, "I talked to your father today, he said it was the only way to make you behave."

Tony looked confused. "Dad never hits me." He stated, which for the most part was true. The odd light tap here and there to help him focus but never a smack with that amount of force.

"I didn't say I was talking to Jethro." Rebecca corrected him, " _Your_  father called, he's coming over tomorrow for a visit. I called Jethro and agreed to supervise you both all afternoon."

"But…." Tony looked worried.

"It'll be _fiiiine_  Tony," She trilled, "I'll be there with you…"

Tony looked at her worried, he had a bad feeling in his gut.

* * *

Jethro sat eating the meal his wife had cooked and looked lovingly over at her and his son, both eating in silence. It was rare when it happened but sometimes he enjoyed the peace at a meal.

He let it continue for a few moments, then he turned to Rebecca, "This is a wonderful meal hun." he said gracing her with a smile.

"Thank you, it took me hours, I found the recipe in a magazine."

Gibbs looked over at his son, "It's good isn't it Tony." He prompted.

Tony gave a halfhearted smile, "I couldn't have made better myself." he replied, thanking God for rule 7.

"Did Becca tell you about your dad's visit tomorrow?" Gibbs asked.

Tony sighed, "Can't you be here for it?" He all but begged.

"I'm sorry, Mike has me looking into a case, I have to go to Fairfax for the day. Becca will be here and Senior knows not to take you out of the house alone."

Tony relaxed a bit, "Ok then, but you'll be back as soon as you can?" he asked.

"Of course I will, the paperwork for Remington came back today, you finish up this year at Potomac and then you should be free to start Remington next year. Show Senior the paperwork, at least he'll know then that we applied."

"Do I have to go?" Tony enquired. He didn't want to leave his friends at Potomac but he knew that Remington had been a stipulation of his adoption and he was going to have to go someday.

Gibbs just ate his pasta, knowing he wasn't in the mood to have this conversation again with his son. His gut was off, and he was pretty sure it had to do with this case his boss had him investigating. But he would have to wait for answers until tomorrow.

 


	11. Chapter 11

Jethro had left when Tony awoke the next morning. He could hear Rebecca downstairs, probably making coffee as he headed to the shower.

He hadn't seen his dad, Senior, in over six months. He liked it that way, but he knew that Gibbs had offered this visitation as a condition of his adoption. He styled his hair and got his suit out of the wardrobe. The one thing he had learned was that his father always wanted him to look good.

"Clothes maketh the man." His father would say, "A scruffy DiNozzo is an affront to all who raised you."

The one thing he didn't want was his father thinking that Gibbs was raising him wrong.

He came downstairs and stopped as he heard voices in the kitchen.

"Good Morning!" Rebecca said brightly.

Tony looked at his father and the other man sitting at the table.

"Morning. Good Morning Father." he said formally looking at the other man inquiringly.

"I'm Eugene, I'm a friend of Rebecca's you must be Tony DiNozzo, I have heard a lot about you young man."

"Pleased to meet you, sir." Tony said.

Eugene smiled, "I heard you were a helpful well behaved young man. I hope you enjoy your visit with your father today."

"I'm sure I will thank you." Tony replied. He felt a bit safer with two of them there, maybe this visit wouldn't be so bad after all.

"May I have breakfast first Father, I haven't eaten yet?" Tony asked.

Senior smiled, "I have been talking and Rebecca has graciously allowed me to take you all to breakfast."

Rebecca smiled and grabbed her coat. "Come on, Tony. It'll be fun."

His gut churned a bit, but with the two other adults there, he supposed there wouldn't be a problem. He walked over to the door and grabbed his shoes and coat.

"Ok," Tony smiled, maybe this visit was going to be better than the last.

* * *

An hour later they were sitting in the restaurant at the Adams house. Tony had a plate of pancakes and the others were enjoying their breakfast as well, the adults talking quietly with each other. Tony dug into his breakfast, these pancakes were better than his dad's.

As soon as he had finished, he put his fork down. "May I be excused? I need to use the bathroom."

The adults nodded as Tony got up and headed to the bathroom.

As soon as he left Rebecca turned to Anthony.

"The deal stands, right?" She asked.

Senior handed her a passkey for a hotel room. "You and Eugene have an all expenses paid weekend in the Presidential Suite, including spa, massages and food. You said Jethro would be back on Monday yes?"

Rebecca nodded, "He is supposed to be away all weekend. Here's Tony's passport and his bag is in my car."

"Good, I will take him with me. I will wire your money as soon as I can to your account. What will you tell Gibbs?"

Rebecca smiled, "Tony's been playing up, he's a teenager, due to start boarding school. I will tell him your visit went smoothly and that he ran away."

Rebecca got up, taking the passes out of Seniors hands. "My extra money?" she asked.

Senior handed her an envelope. "Five thousand dollars to start with."

She nodded and took it.

"Good luck, I hope you manage to talk some sense into the boy." Rebecca was glad to be rid of him. An all expenses paid weekend with Eugene was what she needed to take her mind off of Jethro's aloofness and the brat's behavior.

Tony walked back to find Senior sitting alone at the table.

"Where's Rebecca?" He asked.

"She's going to use the spa for a while, I talked to Jethro, he's agreed for you to come on a trip with me."

"A trip?" Tony asked suspiciously, "The last trip we took didn't go so well."

"That was business," Senior said. "I didn't want to tell you over the phone, but your grandfather is ill, he's dying. Jethro as allowed me to take you to see him before he passes. He packed you a bag, I have it here, along with your passport."

"Can I call Gibbs?" Tony asked.

Senior shook his head, "He's in the middle of an investigation, but Rebecca left a note for you." He handed Tony a white envelope with his name on.

"I'm sorry Tony, Jethro and I were not sure how to tell you about your grandfather. He's ill with Cancer. We thought it best to let your father tell you. We hope you will enjoy your trip, we have cleared it with the school that you will have two weeks abroad in Italy. Then you'll be able to start school with everyone else. Jethro hopes this will be good experience for you seeing another country and culture. He also hopes you will enjoy spending time with your family. We will be looking forward to seeing you when you return. See you soon. Rebecca."

Tony looked upset. He'd only met his grandfather once, but going to see him and not being told?

"I am sorry that you found out like this. But we have a plane to catch."

Tony looked at the bag by Senior's feet.

"You sure this is ok with Gibbs?" Tony asked.

Senior looked over and saw Rebecca at the check in desk. "Go and ask Rebecca."

Tony walked over to her and she turned, smiling, "Did Senior tell you. I'm sorry about your grandfather, but I'm sure you'll enjoy the trip… Oh, I forgot," She reached in her bag and got out the book Jethro had brought him the other day. "Jethro said you might want to take this with you for the flight."

Tony's face fell as he was handed the book. "Ok then, tell Gibbs I'll see him when I get back."

Crestfallen Tony turned back towards Senior as Rebecca checked into the Adams house.

* * *

It was getting dark as Gibbs pulled up to the house, he'd thought he would have had to have been away all weekend, but Mike allowed him to make the drive as his gut had been going crazy all day and his growling was even starting to get on Mike's nerves.

He looked worried as the house was in darkness.

"Becca? Tony?" Gibbs called as he walked inside. He knew instantly that the house was empty. He picked up his phone and called Mike. "There's no one here Mike." He said as he walked around the ground floor.

"Maybe they've gone out to eat?" Mike offered.

Gibbs shook his head, "No, something is wrong." He walked upstairs to find clothes missing from both Tony's and Rebecca's closets.

He walked back out to the car as his neighbor walked up her path.

"Jethro, I thought you were going away this weekend?"

"Sorry, Mrs Miller?" He replied.

"Yes, I saw your lovely wife earlier, she asked me to watch the house as she was going to stay at the Adams house for a spa weekend, you're so nice to do those sorts of things for your wife."

Gibbs nodded, "Thank you." He said, climbing into his car.

* * *

Half an hour later he was standing at the check in desk at the Adams house.

"Rebecca Gibbs?" He asked.

"She's in the Presidential Suite," the man replied as Gibbs flashed his badge. "What about Tony DiNozzo?" He asked.

"Mr. DiNozzo checked out about lunchtime for his flight to Italy. Is there a problem?"

"I need a key for that room, now."

Gibbs and the manager walked up to the room and he let him in.

Walking through to the bedroom Gibbs stood there in shock as he saw his wife asleep in bed with another man.

The manager backed off as Gibbs shook with anger.

"Where's Tony?" Gibbs roared.

"Shh… Jethro I'm sleeping." Rebecca said, and turned over. Seconds later she sat bolt upright grabbing the sheet to hide her state of undress. "JETHRO!"

Eugene jumped out of bed, a pillow hiding himself from Gibbs' withering stare.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU WITH MY WIFE!" he roared.

"This is my lawyer Jethro, I'm filing for a divorce."

"Where is Tony?" Gibbs asked again.

Rebecca shrugged, "He ran away. He didn't want to see Senior, he called me awful names packed a bag and walked out."

Without waiting Gibbs turned and strode out of the room.

* * *

Tony sat in first class next to his father as the plane coasted across the sea on its way to Italy. He looked at the book on woodworking that Gibbs had purchased him just a few days before.

"Will I be able to call Gibbs when we land?" Tony asked.

"Not straight away, it'll be about 2am in the morning in America, we'll get settled in first, then I'll call him and you can talk to him alright?" Senior said smiling at a flight attendant as she passed.

"I thought Grandfather didn't like me." Tony said after a moment's thought, "Why does he want to see me."

"Anthony, you'll be seventeen soon, your Grandfather regrets his actions and one of his last wishes before he passes on was to be able to see you and make amends. Please don't make a scene and upset him while you are there. The Don is an old man. I expect you to be respectful Junior."

Tony nodded, "Yes Sir, How long are we going to be in Italy for?"

"Until your Grandfather passes," Senior said, 'or until you turn eighteen and I get your inheritance.' He thought as he settled back for the ride.

Tony turned to look out of the window, his gut was churning and he didn't like the feeling he was getting. But Senior had his passport and he'd had the letter allowing him to go. A part of him was excited at getting to see where his family had come from, maybe he would make a good impression with his Grandfather. He hoped so. However, he would feel better as soon as he got to talk to Gibbs again.


	12. Chapter 12

Tony sat in the back of the Limo as it drove through the picturesque countryside towards the large mansion that was the Italian home of Don DiNozzo.

"Pay attention." Senior snapped as Tony stared out of the window.

"Can't I just call home?" Tony asked again.

"I called, Jethro is busy. He says to enjoy your time here, when you get back you are heading straight to Remington Military Academy. Something about you being a handful and annoying Rebecca."

Tony scowled as he crossed his arms and angrily stared out of the window harder, not actually seeing any of the beauty around him.

He'd thought Gibbs was different, but it seemed maybe he was the same as everyone else.

"Look, Tony…" Senior said, his voice softening. "Gibbs tried, you aren't an easy child to handle you know that. Let's enjoy the time here, get to know your Grandfather a little, you never know you might like him. You have family members you haven't met yet. You might make some friends. You'll see Gibbs on vacations from school."

Tony sighed, he had always been told he was a lot to handle. Maybe his father was right. After all he had heard Senior on the phone and he had heard the word, Gibbs as he had closed the door. So maybe Gibbs didn't want him back before he started school. After all, he had been annoying Rebecca, mind you he was still certain she had been cheating on Gibbs.

He looked up as the Limo stopped outside two huge wrought iron gates standing in the midst of a high wall. There were large trees, creating a dapple shaded avenue casting shadows in the car as it drove up the driveway.

"Please be good Tonio." Senior said.

"Tony." Tony prompted.

"Tonio, your Grandfather is old fashioned, humor him while you are here. He is an old man Tonio, do this one thing for me?"

Tony looked away abashed, "Yes, Father." he replied, after all, who was he to upset an old man.

* * *

Tony climbed out of the car looking in awe at the large house. There was a squeal of laughter from the back as two small children ran away from an older child.

An older Italian woman opened the door and ran down the steps, "Antonio, you're home!" she cried gathering Senior into her arms.

"Mama." Senior smiled and held her tightly. "I have missed you so much."

She looked him up and down, "You have changed, you look a lot more like my poor Salvatore."

"I know Mama, I miss him too." Senior said. "Mama, this is my son Antonio Dante DiNozzo Junior."

"You have a son!" She stood looking shocked at Tony. She slapped her son around the head, "You have a son! And you never told me?"

"Mama….Geeze!" Senior ducked, "I told Papa, I thought he would have mentioned it."

"Tonio, come here and meet your Nonna."

Tony looked shy, but stepped forward.

"So smart, in a suit like your Papa." She said holding her arms open.

Tony stepped forward and found himself enveloped in her arms.

"Hello." He mumbled into her ample bosom.

"Such a handsome young man. Antonio, where is your wife?" She asked, looking towards the car.

"My wife is no longer with us. She died when Junior was eight." Senior said sadly.

"Poor boy…" She pulled Tony into the house Senior followed and mouthed 'Behave' as he looked back.

Tony walked in the house watching as Senior greeted people he knew, people who Tony realized were related to him, people who all seemed to be armed.

No one seemed to bat an eye at the men walking around the perimeter of the compound carrying automatic rifles. He shuddered at the thought of being shot with one of those.

"Come Tonio." Senior called, "We are going to meet your grandfather."

* * *

They walked up a large ornate staircase to a set of double doors. Senior knocked once.

"Father?" He called as the doors opened.

Tony followed his father as the doors shut behind him.

"Antonio." The Don called from a large chair out on the balcony, "My doctor says I should get as much sun as I can, Welcome back my son." he smiled warmly as Senior kissed his cheeks.

"Father, this is my son Tonio, do you remember him, you met him once when he was small?"

The aging Don looked over the teenager, "I do… I owe you an apology, young man, I was snappy with you last time we met, my doctor says it was due to my condition. I haven't been the grandfather I should have been I apologize my boy."

Tony looked surprised, but worried at how frail older man seemed.

"No… No, sir, you don't need to apologize, not at all." He stumbled over the words worried he would hurt the old man.

"Come Tonio, sit with an old man, enjoy the view and tell me what you think of your home."

"My...my home?" Tony got worried.

"The home of the DiNozzo's, you are a DiNozzo too, therefore this is your home." The Don explained. He stopped as a hoarse cough racked his lungs.

"I'm sorry." Tony said quickly.

Senior smiled encouragingly at him, this more than anything else he had seen scared him.

"I love it, Italy is beautiful." He said even though he hadn't really seen much of the country the view he was now looking at couldn't be described as anything but beautiful.

"The women here are beautiful too," The old Don laughed, "Maybe you will find your soul mate from amongst the women here."

"I'm only seventeen Sir." Tony told the older man.

"And yet not married? I was sixteen when I married your nonna. She was the love of my life... She still is." he smiled, "Tonio, tell me about America, your home and your school."

Senior shifted a little and put a finger to his lips. Tony got the message, he assumed that the old man had no idea about his adoption and he didn't want to do anything to hurt him so he lied. He told him about how wonderful a father Senior was to him, how he went to Remington as generations of DiNozzo's had before him, the old Don smiled when Tony rattled off things he had read in the brochure as if he had actually been to the school. By the time he was finished The Don was tired out but Tony had found he'd enjoyed his company.

By the end of the day Tony had forgotten about calling Gibbs, jet lag caught up with him and he fell asleep in his room not realizing that in the US all hell was breaking loose.

* * *

Gibbs was pacing in front of Tobias Fornell's desk.

"How could your team not have noticed him leaving the country?" He raged.

"The moment of Anthony DiNozzo was noted. Tony didn't look like he was being kidnapped or coerced in any way." He pulled up some pictures from the file in his hands and spread them out on the desk. Gibbs lightly traced the picture of Tony, he looked sad, but didn't look like he was being forced to leave.

"Have you got people in Italy, maybe we can get him when the plane lands?" Gibbs hoped he could then he could hop on a flight and retrieve his son from the airport.

Tobias shook his head, "He landed a few hours ago. We have people in Italy, obviously not the FBI, but there is a CIA group watching the Mafia and keeping tabs on them, I added Tony to their watch list. I heard just before you showed up, he arrived at the DiNozzo compound and he was warmly greeted, in fact, he was seen for nearly an hour sitting on the balcony, it seemed like he was just talking to the old Don."

"I need to go there, I need to get him back." Gibbs snapped.

Tobias shook his head, "You can't, you'll cause an international incident."

"I don't care Tobias, he's my son!"

"The CIA has someone inside under cover, let them check on him, see what's going on. If it's safe, we'll get him out. Go home, Jethro, I'll keep you informed. It may take a while, but we will get him back to you." Tobias promised, and it was a promise he hoped he could keep.

Walking into his home Gibbs was stunned about how empty it felt. It hadn't felt like this since Shannon and Kelly had died. Gibbs had had enough, he took the phone off the hook and walked into the basement pouring himself a glass of bourbon and wishing he hadn't accepted Mike's assignment, second guessing himself that he should have been home, he shouldn't have trusted anyone else with his son. Promising that as soon as he could, he would be there for Tony. Feeling frustrated he took a big drink and sank down his back next to the large rib of the boat in his basement.


	13. Chapter 13

Tony woke up and headed downstairs in search of food. He smiled warmly as his Nonna walked out from one of the rooms.

"Good Morning." He said politely.

"Little Tonio," She hugged him again, "You must be famished, come, come, we will find you food yes?"

Tony nodded, "Thank you." He gladly followed the woman who took him to a large dining room where a few other people were eating. Not knowing anyone Tony sat away from them and ate what his grandmother gave him.

"Junior?" Senior's voice startled him as he walked into the kitchen.

"Morning Father." Tony said, looking up at him.

"Good, good you've eaten. I have some meetings today, you'll have to amuse yourself. Stay on the grounds though, I don't want you leaving on your own at all, you may go to town if there is someone to go with you."

"I'll take him to town Signor DiNozzo." One of the men said.

"Marco," Senior smiled at him, "You've grown, Thank you keep an eye on my son for me, he is very good at getting into trouble."

Marco smiled kindly, he was only a few years older than Tony and Tony found himself smiling back.

"Eat up Tonio, we will go and explore the town."

Marco waited while Tony ate up and took his plate to the kitchen, where his offer to help clean up was laughed at by the women in there. Marco was grinning as he led Tony away from the kitchen.

"Are all American men like this?" He asked.

"I help out at home." Tony said in his defense.

Marco looked shocked, "I would have thought that Antonio would have taught you better."

Tony, realizing his slip just shrugged. "So do I need anything to take to town?" He asked.

Marco smiled as he slipped on his shoulder holster and gun, "No, not at all. We'll get lunch out."

Tony climbed into the black car that was waiting for them as another car turned up and two men got out. Marco watched with awe, "That's Don Macaluso, he's a good friend of your grandfather's." He told him.

* * *

Driving into the town Tony finally got to appreciate the countryside he was in. "It's really pretty here." He said to Marco as they drove down a winding lane.

Marco shrugged, "It's home." He said, "I want to go to America someday."

"It's not as pretty as this." Tony said as they parked up near a small church his eyes alighting on a girl sitting on the steps with a book in her hand.

Marco smiled as he saw where Tony was looking.

"You want to meet her?" Marco asked.

Tony looked up at him, amazement and hope in his eyes, "You know her?"

Marco laughed, "She is my cousin, Maria!" he called across the piazza.

The girl looked up and waved, "Marco!" she called.

To Tony, her voice sounded like music. He grinned like a lunatic as she got up and walked towards them.

Marco grinned at Tony, he'd heard of it happening other boys in the family had talked about it, but he never thought he'd see it himself. He laughed and Tony turned his attention to him.

"What?" He asked.

"You have been hit with the Amore a prima vista."

"What?" Tony asked, confused.

"Love at first sight." Marco clarified, "Come, we will spend the day with Maria if she isn't busy."

Tony gulped as butterflies decided to go to war in his stomach, he found his hands getting clammy and his mouth dry.

"Hello." Maria said as she caught up to them. "You must be Tonio."

"Tony." He corrected.

She smiled widely and nodded, "Tonio."

For once he found he didn't mind being called that.

They spent the day exploring the town, Maria showing him her favorite places, She ended up slipping her hand in his as he walked around the piazza, she was pointing out some interesting architecture that she loved, none of them noticed the tourist who was taking more pictures of them than the town.

That night Tony fell asleep with a smile on his face dreaming about the deep brown eyes of Maria Macaluso while both their father's talked downstairs about merging their families.

* * *

Gibbs had been hard to get on with since his son had gone missing. Mike did what he could, but apart from showing up at work and solving cases, Gibbs was like a bear with a sore head. Tobias had kept him informed with what little information he had. Tony had been seen walking around freely in the town, always in the company of someone, but there were no indications that he was under duress or that he was being threatened, but at no time had there been a call from Tony home.

Every week Tobias stopped around with photo's he'd gotten a hold of showing Tony sometimes with a man a few years older than him, sometimes with a girl the same age. He was seen going to church on a Sunday, having picnics with the girl, sometimes with his father and older men. Tobias pointed out some of them, local Mafia Dons, underbosses and caporegime. He looked relaxed and happy.

Over two months had passed, still there had been no calls from Tony.

Gibbs was chomping at the bit when Tobias walked into his home with the latest photos from the men following Tony.

"I don't see why I can't go out there!" Gibbs growled as he slammed his gun down on the kitchen table.

"You…" Tobias said sharply, "Don't officially know where he is. If you show up you'll put the lives of all the agents out there at risk. I know he's your son, but he is safe. You know that and I know that. You know we are watching him, if he's in any danger someone will get him out."

"I know that. I have been keeping myself busy, divorcing Rebecca, I still wish I could have her charged." Gibbs growled.

Tobias sighed, "We took her in and questioned her, there was nothing to say that Tony hadn't taken his own passport and willingly left with his father."

" _ **SENIOR IS NOT HIS FATHER!**_ " Gibbs shouted, slamming his fist on the table.

Tobias sighed, "I know Jethro, he's your son. But right now we can't risk and international incident, all we can do is wait."

Gibbs sank into the chair, "I miss him so much Tobias," Gibbs sighed, "He's all I have left. He's still enrolled in Remington, he'll have to come home soon. Won't he?"

Tobias looked at his broken friend, he had no words to fix it and having to stop him from going on a plane to get his son was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. But he had orders from the top. Gibbs was to stay away from Italy as the LCN task force was working on completing their case against the elder DiNozzo and the Macaluso families. The trouble was with each passing week Tobias was finding that keeping Gibbs on US soil was becoming a harder job.

* * *

For about the one hundredth time that day, Tony walked past the phone in the hallway thinking about calling Gibbs, but his pride stopped him. Gibbs hadn't contacted Senior at all. Senior had given Gibbs the number, but not once had he called. Maybe Gibbs blamed him, if he had found out that Rebecca was cheating on him, maybe he would blame Tony for not telling him. He was conflicted. He had slowly come to trust Senior who was spending time with him and including him in family events. At last he felt like he belonged. But he missed Gibbs. The only time he didn't was when he was spending time with Maria. Both Maria's father and his father seemed to encourage it. Nonna threw a huge party, families from miles around were coming. He wasn't sure what it was for, but he'd been told it was for him. He was going with his father and Marco to buy a new suit for this party. Marco had become his best friend. He went everywhere with Tony and not once had he felt alone or out of place.

Senior placed his hands on his son's shoulders and saying something in Italian to Marco he turned and walked to the window.

"What did he say?" Tony asked his Italian still a little rusty.

Marco smiled, "Just that he was excited for today and that I should tell you the truth when we get your suit."

"The truth?" Tony asked worried.

"About whether it suits you or not."

Tony shrugged, "It's just a suit for a party."

"Maria will be there…" Marco smiled.

Tony blushed, "Ok, so a good suit then."

For a moment Marco stopped and looked at the younger man intently. "You love her don't you?"

Tony nodded, "When I got here Marco, all I could think about was going back to America, going back to school. Now… as long as I can see Maria, I don't care if I never go back." He admitted.

Marco smiled, "What if I could fix it that you stayed with Maria?" He asked quietly as Senior smiling left the room.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked.

"Maria loves you, you know that right?" Marco said and waited as Tony nodded. "Well, Her father and your father have been talking about joining the families and you marrying her."

"Wait, What?!" Tony stepped back, "I'm not even eighteen yet?"

"I know that if you don't, Don Macaluso has been thinking about making Maria marry Don Di Pisa." Marco pointed to the older man sitting outside having breakfast on the terrace with his grandfather.

"But he's old!" Tony exclaimed.

Marco sighed, "I know and Maria is my cousin, I know that she'd be devastated if she had to marry him."

There was a small knock on the door and Maria stuck her head in, "Can I hide in here?" she asked, "Don Di Pisa is leering at me again."

Tony turned to her, "Maria, is it true?" He asked. "Do you have to marry him?"

"Only if I can't marry anyone else." Maria teared up, "Oh Tonio, I don't want to marry him."

Tony pulled her into his arms, "Marry me Maria." He said.

She blinked back the tears and smiled. "Really Tonio?"

Tony pulled her to him and kissed her, "Really." He affirmed.

* * *

Marco slipped out of the door and walked up to where Senior had joined the two men for breakfast.

"It's done Sir. Your son will marry Maria Macaluso."

Senior smiled, "That's good," He turned to the old man, "So, Don Di Pisa, is it right, we will be entitled to Antonio's inheritance if he marries?"

"You told me he doesn't know about the inheritance?" The old man asked.

"Not at all." Senior replied.

"My wife is right, you are a shrewd man." The old man smiled. "If your son marries Maria Macaluso, then the inheritance will be released to him and because of his age, you as his father would be in control of his money."

Senior laughed, "It is a good thing this marriage. Maria and my son do love each other and we will have them married by the end of the day. By the time they have had their honeymoon, we will have moved all of Juniors inheritance to the DiNozzo family vaults."


	14. Chapter 14

" _ **HE'S GOT WHAT?!"**_ Jethro yelled as Tobias stood close by holding the latest photo's, of Tony in a suit and a girl in a white bridal dress coming out of the main church in the town's piazza.

"He got married." The Director of the FBI said to the stunned NIS Agent.

"But, he's only seventeen!" Jethro spluttered. "Why didn't someone stop it."

"It wasn't forced, look at him Agent Gibbs, he doesn't look worried or upset."

Gibbs looked at his son, the smile on his face wasn't forced, although there was something in his eyes, a small sadness that only he noticed. In the next picture it was gone and Jethro recognized the look on his son's face, it was the same look he had given Shannon on his wedding day. He was totally in love with this girl.

Gibbs sank into the chair, "He's not coming home is he?"

Tobias moved to place a supporting hand on Jethro's shoulder.

"We don't know that." He said.

"What do we know about the girl?" Gibbs asked.

"Her name is Maria. She's sixteen daughter of Don Macaluso a close friend of the DiNozzo family."

"Sixteen? Is she…" Gibbs shook his head, he didn't want to know, but he asked anyway, "Is she pregnant?"

Tobias shrugged, "We don't know. I don't think that's why they got married. The word is it was a true love thing. Apparently your Tony begged his parents and hers for the right to marry her."

Gibbs shook his head, "No… There's no way, Tony had his whole life ahead of him. He was looking forward to going to Remington, going to college."

"He's not dead Gibbs, just married."

Gibbs shrugged, "Might as well be."

Tobias chuckled. "Not all marriages are like yours Jethro."

Gibbs smirked, "Yes, how is Diane?"

"We are fine thank you."

The Director looked between the two men confused, "He married my wife." Jethro deadpanned.

"She was your _**Ex**_ -wife Jethro."

Gibbs couldn't help but chuckle. He realized he needed that little release of tension and was grateful for it.

"Is there any word on why Senior allowed this?" Gibbs asked, turning his mind back to the matter in hand.

The director shook his head, "No, I know that Don DiNozzo is old, we knew he wanted to see his grandson, but I don't know my gut says something else is going on behind the scenes."

Gibbs nodded in agreement, "We just need to find out what is going on."

* * *

Tony stretched as he woke up, smiling as he looked into Maria's eyes.

"Good morning beautiful." he smiled as he leaned over and kissed her. He was amazed, they had been married for little over a week and Senior had sprung for a holiday on the island of Sardinia. The beach was beautiful and the private villa with staff and security was perfect. All in all Tony had never been so content. Maria loved him with all of her heart and he her.

They walked along the beach during the day, came home to ready prepared meals at night and didn't have a care in the world.

For Tony nothing mattered, he had tried to call Gibbs, to let him know he was married; but each time he had dialed the new number Senior had given him it went unanswered. He had sat with his father the night before the wedding and told him he had wished that Gibbs could have been there, Senior had then told him that Gibbs had been sent on a long term undercover mission and had asked Tony not to call him.

The night before his wedding he had sat in his father's room, sobbing at the fact that Gibbs didn't seem to want him anymore.

"But what if you decide you don't want me either?"

"Son, I will always be your father. It doesn't matter what that piece of paper Jethro has said."

"But he told me he would always be my father. You changed your mind about being my father…."

"I was in a bad place." Senior said, putting his arm around his son, "I had just lost my brother. I made a mistake. Besides, tomorrow you will be a man, son, you'll be married and you'll be responsible for your own family."

"I'm scared." Tony admitted.

"Family is everything son, you are a DiNozzo. We will never disown you or abandon you, not again."

Tony for the first and last time fell asleep in his father's bed.

Senior had watched as his son slept, "Tomorrow you will be a man my son." He said as he walked out and closed the door. "And soon your inheritance will be mine."

* * *

Arriving back after his honeymoon Maria and Tony were greeted warmly by his family.

"The happy couple are home, how are you both?" Senior asked, pulling his daughter in law into a hug.

"We had a wonderful time Mr. DiNozzo." Maria said, blushing as she reached for Tony's hand.

"Maria, you are my daughter now, so Anthony please."

Maria smiled, "Anthony."

They spent the next month settling into married life, Tony was offered a job working in the small vineyard attached to the house, it was hard work but he enjoyed it. It was all the more welcome when Maria announced she was expecting a child.

Tony was ecstatic, and to his face so was Senior and Don DiNozzo.

Senior shut the door to the Don's study and looked over at the sour face of Don Di Pisa, "You have a problem." He said sourly.

"What, my son is married, his money is nearly released and he's stopped asking about going to America. What on earth could be wrong?"

"There is a clause, I looked it up as soon as you mentioned the pregnancy."

The old Don looked up, "If your son has this child, the child will be entitled to the money, there is nothing for you."

"What?!" Senior turned red with anger. "What can we do? I will not kill the child!" Even Senior had morales and killing children was highest on that list.

"You do not have to, however, I believe I have a plan."

* * *

Tony was on cloud 9, he was going to be a father. He knew he would be a better father than both Senior and Gibbs. He would give his child everything he had never had.

He sat at his office window overlooking the countryside as he watched his wife and Mario get in the car. She was heading to town to see the doctor and do some shopping. He waved at her as she looked up into his window with a smile and a laugh on her face.

He watched with a smile as she got into the car and they drove down the winding roads towards the village.

He turned to pick up some paperwork as a loud boom sounded throughout the building.

He turned in a panic and looked at the direction the car had gone.

In the distance was a plume of smoke.

" _NO!_ " Tony screamed, dropping the papers and running out of the office and following the other men in the direction of the fire.

Two of the family bodyguards held onto Tony as his father caught up with him.

"Let me go!" Tony screamed. _**"MARIA!"**_

Senior's tear stained face told him what he didn't want to know. His wife and his best friend were dead.

Senior gathered his son in his arms. "I am sorry son." He said as Tony dissolved into sobs.

"Are you sure?" He gasped, "She can't be dead." The world span and before he knew it he had fainted.

* * *

The room was dark when Tony woke up. "Maria?" he called.

"Tonio." His grandmother said softly.

He looked at her and moaned, she was dressed in black and dabbing tears from her eyes.

"Father?"

"I'm sorry son, it's true."

Tony wanted to cry, but he couldn't. "What happened?"

"It was a rival family, we do not know who, they placed a bomb in the car. I am worried that they may have been targeting you. I have decided to send you back to America. You still have your place at Remington."

"No, I want to fight!" Tony said, sitting up in the bed anger on his face.

Senior shook his head, "You are my son. You are my only child. I need to know you are safe, please go back to America, stay at Remington. Make me proud."

Tony nodded, to be honest, he didn't want to be here anymore, surrounded by reminders of the woman he loved and the child they were never going to see.

"I will go back." He said his voice flat and his eyes devoid of emotion.

DiNozzo's don't cry. He reminded himself as he climbed off the bed and moved to pack his bags, his hand ghosting for a moment over a picture of Maria and a small half knitted pair of booties she had been working on for his child.


	15. Chapter 15

Tony stood, bag in hand, outside his new dorm room. For a moment he let his hand run over the chain around his neck that held his wedding ring. Then, grabbing his bag tighter he opened the door to his new room.

Bradley looked up as his door opened.

"You DiNozzo?" He asked as the younger man stood in the doorway surveying his new surroundings.

Tony nodded and plastered on a fake smile, "Tony DiNozzo, at your service."

Brad grinned.

"Brad Simons. Your new roommate. Your bed is over there," He said gesturing to the unmade bed in the corner, bedding was piled in a neat bundle on top of it. "You've come late in the year, you a transfer?" He asked.

Tony shook his head, "Been abroad. Got back into the country last night, my Grandfather was sick."

"That sucks." Brad said, "I've been assigned to be your welcome committee here at Remington, so in the morning I'll get you orientated and we'll find out what classes you are in."

Tony quickly made his bed and slumped on it. He liked Brad, and although his thoughts would often stray to Maria, he hoped that Remington would help heal the hurt he had inside of him.

* * *

Gibbs woke up as a pounding on his door resounded through the house. Tobias stood at the door waiting as the light went on and Gibbs descended the stairs.

"What?" He asked tiredly as he walked past Tobias and put the coffee on.

"I've got news." Tobias said as he waited for Gibbs to drink some coffee and hand him some.

"That important that you have to wake me at three am?" Gibbs asked.

"Tony's back. He's been back a month." Tobias said.

Gibbs slammed down his coffee cup. "Where? Is he ok?"

"His passport was flagged as he flew into Dulles. He was alone, but he was met by a man. We've done a check on him, he's the coach for a basketball team at Remington. Homeland only just passed the information onto me."

"He's gone to school?" Gibbs sat heavily in the chair, "He's back? Where's Senior?"

Tobias shrugged, "We don't have anything on him, We know the DiNozzo family had a huge cash injection a few days ago, but nothing on the source yet."

Gibbs glared at him, "I don't care about them. I just want to know about Tony."

He stood up and headed towards his bedroom.

"Where you going?" Tobias asked.

"To get dressed of course, I need to see him."

Tobias sighed, "It's a four hour ride Jethro, take your time, I need to talk to him too."

"Why?" Gibbs asked worriedly.

"Tony's spent the better part of five months in a Mafia family, he has information we need." Fornell told him.

"Fine, I'll be ten minutes, then we can go." Gibbs said, walking out of the room leaving Fornell to finish his coffee.

* * *

Tony woke up as reveille sounded.

"God, What time is it?" He groaned.

" Zero, five thirty." Brad laughed, "Come on Cadet."

Tony got up and hit the showers.

Within ten minutes he was dressed and walking with Brad to breakfast.

"Cadet DiNozzo!" A voice called from across the Quad.

Tony stopped and turned. "Sir?" He asked the man walking towards him.

"You have visitors."

"Already, he's only been here a month?" Brad asked surprised.

"FBI DiNozzo…" The man smirked.

Tony's face fell. "Damn." He cursed.

"I'll talk to you later, Tony." Brad said worried for his new friend as he turned to march across the Quad.

The man turned to Tony as they walked towards the offices. "You've been here one month DiNozzo, we may have to send the Honor guard to you if you bring the Academy into disrepute."

"I haven't done anything, Sir." Tony protested.

He looked over and noticed Gibbs' truck parked in the corner near a dark blue sedan. Balling up his fists, he tried to curb his anger.

"So, FBI and NIS?" He asked.

The man chuckled, "They were insistent on seeing you Cadet. You may break the record for being the student with the shortest time here."

Tony walked into the Commandant's office and stood to attention. "Sir!" he said.

"At ease, Cadet DiNozzo." The Commandant said, watching as Tony moved to Parade rest.

"Do you know why you are here?" The Commandant asked.

"Sir, No Sir." Tony replied.

"I have two federal agents in the other room requesting to talk with you. I will have to be present as you are underage and my responsibility. Tell me now, will I need to call you a lawyer."

"Sir, No Sir."

The commandant nodded, "Very well, I'll let them in."

He pressed a buzzer on his desk and his secretary opened the door, "Show the Agents in, Sonia." She nodded and moved aside to let the agents in.

Tony snapped to attention as they entered not looking either of them in the eye.

"Tony!" Gibbs started towards him but stopped at his reaction. "Son?"

Tony looked at Gibbs, his face was blank but his eyes stormy.

"Tony."

"Sir." Tony replied, trying not to let the shaking he was feeling show.

"Can i have a moment?" Gibbs asked the Commandant and Tobias.

"I'm sorry, sir, cadets can only be interviewed in the presence of an appropriate adult."

"I'm his father." Gibbs said.

Tony looked down, ashamed and Gibbs' gut went on overdrive.

"I'm sorry, we have Anthony DiNozzo Senior down as his father."

"I adopted Tony," Gibbs handed the Commandant the adoption papers, "Please, just five minutes."

Tony looked up shocked he'd never heard Gibbs say please.

The Commandant nodded, "I'd like a word with Agent Fornell anyway." He said and walked out of the room.

* * *

"Tony?" Gibbs asked, worried about his son.

"You didn't have to come here Gibbs." Tony said.

"It's been so long, I couldn't find you." Gibbs took a step forward and stopped.

"You knew where I was, Father called you. I tried calling you, you never answered. If you cared about me, you'd have come to me wouldn't you? I've been here a month and I've not been hiding, you could have come to see me at any time."

"I couldn't, but no one called me." Gibbs sat on the edge of the desk and indicated for Tony to sit in the chair. "I didn't allow Senior to take you to Italy, Rebecca did that. I had no idea where you were."

"You just said I was in Italy. Obviously you knew where I was." Tony wouldn't look him in the eye.

"Fornell told me, they had people keeping an eye on you. But had I come… We had no idea what Senior was doing to you. You could have been in danger."

"I was with my family, spending time with my grandfather who cared about me. I even got on with my father, it's just…" Tony stopped, "I missed you dad." He said softly.

"Rebecca and Senior lied to you, I didn't give them permission to take you out of the country. I am glad nothing bad happened to you." Gibbs stopped as a dark look crossed Tony's face. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Tony turned from him, stood at ease and looked out of the window, his eyes focusing on his friend in the courtyard.

"Senior never laid a hand on me." He said, keeping his answer specific.

"He didn't let you call me either."

"I called, I called once a week, I talked to Rebecca."

"I split with Rebecca the day you left and I found her in bed with her lawyer."

"I knew it!" For a second the old Tony was back, a sparkle of triumph in his eyes.

Gibbs smiled, "Should have known you'd see it."

Tony's shoulders relaxed a little, "I did, but you loved her. I had hoped she'd see sense. Why did she lie to me Gibbs?"

He shrugged as Tony turned around, "I don't know son. Please believe me, I tried my hardest to get to you. But I was stopped by the FBI."

"Why?" Tony looked guarded again.

* * *

"Because you were in the perfect spot to give us information." Tobias said as he and the Commandant walked in.

Tony stood at attention at the sight of his Commandant. "Sir!"

"At ease, Cadet. Agent Fornell would like to talk to you, do you have any objections."

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Tony asked.

The commandant nodded.

"Quite a few sir. I don't know what the Agent wants from me, but I haven't done anything illegal. I haven't even left the campus since I arrived."

"Tony." Fornell said.

Tony's eyes flashed, even Gibbs noticed.

"Tony, son. Fornell just wants to ask you about your time in Italy."

"I went thinking I had my dad's permission, I visited my grandfather who is ill and wanted to meet me, I came home." He said briskly.

"Tony you do know that your grandfather is a Mafia Don. You were there for a while, we wanted to know if you had learned anything…."

"I wasn't there as a soldier, I was there as a grandson visiting family. They made me feel welcome, I had nothing to do with my grandfather's business…"

"That's not true, we heard you worked in the family business after…"

"I worked in a vineyard for a while, I didn't have anything to do with anything illegal." He turned his back on Tobias and started to pace.

"What about the Macaluso's?" Tobias asked and Tony stopped dead.

"I have nothing to do with them." He said flatly his shoulders squaring up.

"We know about Maria." Tobias said gently.

Tony whirled around and glared at the FBI Agent. "Then you know I don't have **_ANYTHING_** tying me to the Macaluso family. My Father sent me here to finish my schooling not to be interrogated."

"Have you spoken to Mr. DiNozzo since you came home?" Tobias asked.

Tony shook his head.

"Did you know that the DiNozzo family came into a large sum of money after your wife died."

"What are you saying?" Tony growled as the Commandant looked up surprised at the information that his cadet had actually been married.

"Nothing… yet, but we believe that the money that was paid to the DiNozzo's was an inheritance from Elizabeth Paddington."

"Fair enough, my father probably inherited the money, she was his wife." Tony said not really caring.

"Homeland traced the money, It was yours to be given to you on your 18th birthday, or if you married it was to be shared half with you the rest in trust to your children."

"I don't…." Tony choked up, "I don't have any children and I don't want the damn money, he can keep it. I just want to stay here, go to college and live my life."

"It was a lot of money Tony."

" ** _I DON'T CARE!_** " Tony yelled. Gibbs stood up and walked over to him putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Tony?"

Tony shook his head, turning away to hide the tears he was fighting from falling.

"I met my family, they have the money. I just need to move on with my life and forget they ever existed."

"Can we have the room?" Gibbs asked.

The two men nodded and left them to it.

* * *

As soon as the door closed Tony turned back to Gibbs.

"I loved her dad. I really did, we were…. I was going to be a father, I wanted to be like you were, before… Before I thought you'd given up on me."

"I never gave up on you, I never will, you are my son forever, you hear DiNozzo." Gibbs growled. He lightly head slapped Tony as he pulled him in for a hug.

Tony grinned, it had been a long time since he'd hugged his dad.

"Listen, no matter what you want to do, whether you decide to let Senior back into your life or not after this, I will be here. I will always be your dad."

Tony grabbed Gibbs and hugged him tight. "I'm sorry dad."

"For what?" Gibbs stepped back, the 'Never apologize' rule stuck on the tip of his tongue.

"For doubting you, for thinking you didn't care. You've proved more than once, you care about me. I think one day, I want to be just like you."

Gibbs smiled, "One day, you'll be your own man Tony and no matter what you do, I will always be proud of you."


End file.
